Lawyers generally don’t have a reputation for being early adopters of technology – at least, when it comes to using it for practicing law. However, that’s rapidly changing. Modern law firms have increasingly been embracing technology to make them more efficient and profitable and to serve their clients better.  Now many firms are adopting artificial intelligence solutions to get to more information than they can with traditional methods and to reduce the risk of human error.

Consider one of the early adopters of this technology,  Girardi|Keese, one of the nation’s leading personal injury law firms. They were one of the first customers of Westlaw Edge and I had the opportunity to discuss the impact that has already made on their firm in just a few months. Participating in this discussion were partner Jake Courtney and attorneys Alexandra Steele, William Donovan,and Kenny Ramirez. I’ve summarized a portion of our conversation below.

Amy Larson: Why does Girardi|Keese embrace technology?

Jake Courtney: You can’t serve your clients if you don’t have the best people and the best tools. Having the latest tools keeps us in the forefront of the legal profession, and the price for that is nominal relative to our overall costs. It enables us to optimally represent those who are typically underrepresented, and give them a voice and their day in court.

Kenny Ramirez: To underscore what Jake said, to best serve our clients we need to have the best tools, best research, and best information available so we are as prepared as possible to give clients the best representation. Tools such as Westlaw and Westlaw Edge help us do exactly that.

William Donovan: If you’re using old technological tools, or none at all, you’re not going to be on the same level as the big guys.

Amy Larson: So precisely how does Westlaw Edge help you level the playing field and serve clients better?

Alexandra Steele: There’s a number of ways. I’d like to start with Statutes Compare. It helps me save so much time when I review two statutes side by side. To see the differences at a glance, without having to highlight and underline, saves me a lot of headaches. Looking at nearly identical language and having the differences already drawn out is amazing. Furthermore, a lot of times I’ve had to rely heavily on Westlaw Edge to uncover certain types of information that wasn’t readily accessible in other places.

Amy Larson: Could you give me an example?

Alexandra Steele: Sure. Litigation Analytics has definitely helped me build strategy, like when I need to find information on the opposition – a specific attorney’s work product. To do this on my own would have taken hours. With Litigation Analytics, it takes a fraction of that time.

William Donovan: I concur with Alexandra that Litigation Analytics is incredibly helpful, especially when I walk into the courtroom with a judge my colleagues and I aren’t familiar with. To know what types of cases they’ve seen and what kind of rulings they’ve made is a tremendous asset.

I’d like to add that the ability to find answers faster with WestSearch Plus has improved tremendously as well – which is especially useful to new attorneys who can spend 45 minutes trying to answer a question. Being able to get there faster can make a huge difference. For instance, KeyCite Overruling Risk is especially helpful for new associates because they haven’t been around to know which cases are something they should dig into and research further to ensure they’re still good law. Knowing that you’re not making a mistake saves a ton of time and energy.

Amy Larson: So, is it accurate for me to say that you think Westlaw Edge gives you the competitive edge?

Kenny Ramirez: Definitely. The functionality of Westlaw Edge helps us cover more bases, more information, and certainly provides us greater confidence when we walk into a courtroom. We know we’ve been able to cover more than we would have otherwise, and that we covered more than the opposition.

Jake Courtney: Westlaw Edge moves us forward; we want to be at the forefront of technology, and Westlaw Edge firmly positions us there. It’s a small investment for a big return.

Do you want to give your attorneys the tools to get more done and be more confident? Do you want to give your clients the best representation? Do you want to give your firm a competitive advantage? Then consider following the path of Girardi|Keese and explore what Westlaw Edge can do for your firm. Sign up for a 20-minute demo today.

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Amy Larson is a Director in Small Law Firm Customer Marketing at Thomson Reuters. She has over 17 years of experience in technology marketing with extensive focus on learning how technology can meet the needs of attorneys. Amy has been involved in numerous product launches throughout her tenure, public relations efforts, interviewing customers and telling their stories, and often writes and distributes information on how legal technology can help small law firms with their practice of law and law firm management responsibilities.