How Is the Legal Industry Finally Adopting the Cloud? | Storm Internet

Early adopters might see the hesitation some industries have to the idea of moving to the cloud as ridiculous. After all, so many businesses from a wide range of industries, including banking and central government, have made the switch and with great results. Why aren’t the rest adopting the cloud, as well? Why is the legal industry, in particular, so hesitant about moving to the cloud?

The Challenges Faced by the Law Industry

The reluctance of adopting the cloud in the law industry was somehow understandable since the information that they need to store is often very sensitive. But they get one thing wrong: paper-based document management isn’t as safe as they think it is. Not only that storing physical documents is costly and ineffective, but it’s also unsafe. Important documents risk being misplaced, lost, or even destroyed by wear and tear or natural disaster.

Another reason we have found solicitors are hesitant about moving to the cloud is because it will affect their business. For instance, to get legal information about their situation, most people call their solicitors and meet with them to discuss their needs. By switching to the cloud, solicitors believe that people will have trouble adjusting to the changes. But, that couldn’t be further from the truth. With a cloud, customers would be granted with considerably much easier access to their information, and would gain more transparency.

Addressing Solicitors’ Concerns

To dissipate some of the worries, Frank Jennings, the Chair of the Cloud Industry Forum Code of Practice Board released a report that highlighted the main benefits and challenges that law firms would encounter when making the switch. Jennings also expressed his concern regarding the solicitors Regulation Authority’s (SRA) lack of guidance to law firms who are considering taking the plunge. According to him, the SRA isn’t providing enough information to companies from the law industry that wish to adopt the cloud.

Due to an acute wish for knowledge expressed by the law industry, a report was released in November of the last year by the SRA. The report included valuable information regarding all the potential risks of adopting a cloud and the ways in which firms can protect themselves, the favorable impact that the cloud can have regarding cost benefits and flexibility. After this well-received guide, the Law Society also developed a guide of their own, showcasing more guidance regarding cloud adoption for law firms.

These guides are a step forward in opening a lot of eyes to cloud adoption, giving law firms more confidence. Even more, firms can take other practical steps to make sure that their data will be secure at all times.

Now, that they have access to clear guidelines, more and more law firms are becoming confident enough to move to the cloud. In 2015, for instance, 40% of solicitors used cloud-based technology, a 10% increase from the previous years. And, as the industry acknowledges the need for change, the numbers are growing. It will be exciting to see how the cloud evolves in the next year and how law firms will adapt.

If you’d like to know more about the benefits of moving to the cloud, get in touch with us by clicking here or call us on 0800 817 4727.