The State of Legal Tech: Tools, Trends, and What Law Firms Are Doing Now

As legal professionals face growing challenges around data security, regulatory complexity, and operational scalability, innovative technology is offering smart, strategic solutions. Whether you're streamlining internal workflows or meeting rising client expectations for faster, more transparent service, legal tech is now a cornerstone of business performance and competitive advantage.

Keep reading to explore how these innovations are reshaping the legal industry—and how your firm can use them to build agile teams, deliver stronger outcomes, and prepare for what’s next.

What is legal tech and why is it relevant today?

Legal technology, or "legal tech," refers to software and digital tools that streamline, automate, and enhance legal work—from document management to contract analysis and client communication. In today’s fast-paced legal landscape, these tools are essential for boosting efficiency, reducing errors, and delivering better client service.

While the pandemic accelerated digital adoption, legal tech’s growth shows no signs of slowing. Today, technology is not just part of legal operations—it’s a strategic driver of business performance. By embracing these tools, legal teams go beyond digitization to truly transform workflows, reduce risk, and consistently meet—and exceed—rising client expectations.

Main benefits of legal technology

Legal technology is redefining the legal sector—introducing greater clarity, speed, and strategic value across every aspect of legal work. For firms and legal departments looking to boost performance, elevate service delivery, and maintain a competitive edge, here’s where legal tech delivers the most value:

Improved efficiency and cost reduction

Efficiency has become a non-negotiable in modern legal operations, especially as client expectations, caseload complexity, and data volumes continue to rise. Legal technology offers a transformative path forward by automating labor-intensive processes that once demanded significant manual effort.

Automating tasks like document review, contract lifecycle management, and legal research reduces resource demands and improves consistency and quality. Many firms report measurable decreases in turnaround times and notable increases in caseload capacity—often without the need to expand headcount.

Use case: Workflow automation tools handle routine administrative functions like time tracking, docketing, invoice generation, and document formatting. This not only ensures greater accuracy and uniformity but also frees legal professionals to focus on strategic, high-impact legal work.

Enhanced accuracy 

Accuracy is mission-critical in legal practice, where even minor errors can lead to significant financial, reputational, or regulatory consequences. As legal matters grow more complex and documentation expands in volume, ensuring precision across every touchpoint—from drafting to analysis—has never been more essential.

By integrating AI-driven tools into processes such as document drafting, contract review, and legal research, firms can significantly reduce human error, flag inconsistencies, and ensure alignment with compliance standards. These technologies bring consistency and rigor to tasks that once relied heavily on manual effort, enabling legal teams to operate with greater confidence and efficiency.

Use case: Intelligent document review tools automatically cross-reference content against internal playbooks or regulatory frameworks—empowering teams to deliver cleaner, more reliable outputs while reducing revision cycles and oversight demands.

Empowered collaboration

In today’s distributed legal environment, collaboration must extend beyond physical offices and time zones—while maintaining speed, security, and accountability. As firms manage increasingly complex matters across geographies and teams, seamless coordination is essential to deliver timely, high-quality outcomes.

Legal technology enables more efficient collaboration by centralizing documents, case updates, and communications in secure, cloud-based environments. These tools reduce reliance on fragmented email threads or disconnected systems, giving teams real-time access to shared resources, streamlined workflows, and a clear chain of responsibility.

Use case: Integrated video conferencing and virtual deposition tools enhance communication—keeping all stakeholders aligned and accelerating matter resolution without compromising security or compliance.

Better client experiences 

Client expectations are evolving rapidly—today’s clients demand not only legal expertise but also transparency, responsiveness, and a seamless experience throughout their engagement. Meeting these expectations is critical for building trust and long-term relationships in a competitive legal market.

Legal technology enables firms to enhance client interactions by providing secure, on-demand access to critical information and documents while also streamlining client onboarding and ongoing communication. This reduces administrative bottlenecks and improves overall client satisfaction.

Use case: Digital client portals enable clients to track case progress and communicate directly with their legal team—delivering transparency and convenience that reinforce a firm’s reputation as a client-centric partner.

Compliance and security improvements

With increasing regulatory demands and growing cyber threats, maintaining strong compliance and data security is critical for legal organizations. Lapses can lead to costly penalties and damage to reputation.

Legal technology supports these needs by providing advanced document management with audit trails, granular access controls, and automated compliance monitoring. Enhanced cybersecurity features—like encryption and multi-factor authentication—protect sensitive client data and ensure business continuity.

Use case: Automated compliance platforms help firms enforce jurisdiction-specific regulations through customizable workflows and alerts, minimizing risk while maintaining transparency and audit readiness.

Key tools and solutions in legal tech

Practice management platforms

Practice management platforms provide law firms with centralized tools for case tracking, client communication, document management, and workflow automation. These systems enhance operational efficiency, streamline processes, and enable firms to scale more effectively—especially during periods of growth or acquisition.

For example, the centralized platform we built for Esquire unified operations across acquired entities, boosted data consistency, and significantly improved efficiency. The solution enabled faster, data-driven decision-making and positioned the company for continued growth—contributing to a 10% increase in enterprise valuation and a 40% operation boost.

AI-driven process automation

AI-driven automation solutions help legal firms streamline repetitive, manual tasks such as data entry, invoice generation, time tracking, and conflict checks. These tools reduce operational costs, improve accuracy, and free up staff to focus on more strategic, high-value activities—ultimately boosting productivity and employee engagement.

At Esquire’s Deposition Solutions, we implemented AI automation that eliminated routine tasks—saving up to 30 minutes per workflow. This not only reduced costs but also empowered employees to focus on more fulfilling, intellectually demanding work—leading to higher morale, lower turnover, and increased overall efficiency. 

eDiscovery tools

eDiscovery tools enable legal teams to efficiently identify, collect, and analyze large volumes of digital evidence while ensuring compliance and data security. By reducing manual effort and accelerating case preparation, these solutions help cut costs and maintain the integrity and chain of custody of critical data.

Casepoint’s Cloud Collection Tool exemplifies this innovation, allowing legal teams to securely gather data remotely across multiple devices and locations—eliminating the need for physical evidence collection and streamlining the entire process.

Centralized data architecture

A centralized data architecture consolidates information from multiple systems into a single, reliable source—enhancing visibility, consistency, and accessibility across an organization. This foundation enables faster, more accurate decision-making, improves collaboration, and reduces errors caused by fragmented data.

At Esquire, we implemented a centralized data architecture that unified disparate data sources into one accessible system. This provided teams with real-time access to critical information, improved cross-functional collaboration, and empowered leadership with clearer insights into business performance—ultimately enabling faster response times and better strategic decisions.

Virtual depositions & courtroom tech 

Virtual deposition and courtroom technologies enable legal professionals to conduct proceedings remotely, reducing travel, increasing accessibility, and ensuring continuity across legal workflows. These platforms often incorporate secure communication, digital collaboration tools, and purpose-built features to replicate—and enhance—the in-person experience.

In partnership with Remote Legal, we developed a comprehensive virtual deposition platform that combined industry-standard video conferencing with legal-specific features like real-time transcripts, privacy-enabled exhibit sharing, and on-screen tools for seamless interaction. The result was a secure, accessible solution tailored to the demands of remote litigation.

Workforce management tools

Workforce management tools enable legal organizations to optimize staffing, streamline scheduling, and increase visibility into resource availability—especially during mergers, acquisitions, and other transitions. These solutions help maintain operational continuity, reduce administrative overhead, and strengthen organizational agility.

At Esquire, we implemented a solution that enhanced talent onboarding and scheduling visibility. It supported a structured integration plan that reduced turnover and accelerated new employee ramp-up. Improved access to scheduling data also ensured seamless operations during staff absences, resulting in a more coordinated and adaptable workforce.

Contract lifecycle management 

Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) platforms automate and streamline the full contract process—from drafting and negotiation to execution and renewal. By increasing visibility and control over contract workflows, these tools help reduce risk, improve compliance, and accelerate deal cycles.

Ironclad’s CLM solution exemplifies this, enabling legal teams to collaborate in real time, track changes with precision, and automate approvals. The result is faster contract turnaround, fewer administrative bottlenecks, and stronger legal oversight across the organization.

How to implement legal tech in your organization

Adopting legal technology is a strategic initiative that demands careful planning and cross-functional collaboration. Below is a clear roadmap to help your firm or legal department navigate a successful implementation process:

1. Audit current workflows

Start by mapping out existing processes and identifying where time, effort, or errors cluster. Understanding how your team works today is the foundation for meaningful improvement.

2. Identify pain points

Pinpoint specific bottlenecks or challenges—whether it’s contract review delays, communication gaps, or compliance risks—that technology can help solve.

3. Research tools that fit your firm

Legal tech isn’t one-size-fits-all. Select tools that fit your firm’s size, areas of practice, and specific needs. Scalability and integration capabilities are key factors to consider.

4. Build stakeholder Buy-In

Engage leadership, attorneys, and support staff early. Clear communication about benefits and involving users in the selection process drives adoption and reduces resistance.

5. Prioritize user experience (UX)

A seamless, intuitive user experience is essential. Difficult or disruptive tools hinder adoption, while strong UX design accelerates onboarding and unlocks the full value of your legal technology.

6. Partner with tech consultants

Expert guidance smooths the path. Collaborating with experienced consultants helps ensure you select, customize, and implement technology effectively. 

At Making Sense, we specialize in building intuitive, scalable legal tech platforms that empower teams and drive measurable improvements in efficiency, accuracy, and client satisfaction. When paired with a thoughtful implementation strategy, the right technology delivers tangible business impact.

Future trends in legal technology

The legal tech landscape is evolving rapidly, driven by innovation and shifting client expectations. Staying ahead means understanding the emerging trends that will define tomorrow’s legal practice.

Predictive analytics and AI legal assistants

Advanced AI tools are evolving beyond automation to provide predictive insights. Predictive analytics can forecast case outcomes, while AI legal assistants handle routine research, drafting, and scheduling—enhancing productivity and allowing legal professionals to concentrate on higher-value strategic work.

Blockchain for contracts and evidence integrity

Blockchain technology builds trust and transparency by securely logging contracts and evidence with tamper-proof timestamps. This minimizes disputes over authenticity and ensures an auditable chain of custody—crucial for litigation and compliance.

Legal ops and data-driven decision-making

Legal operations teams increasingly rely on data analytics to optimize resource allocation, monitor performance, and manage risks. Data-driven insights enable smarter budgeting, staffing, and strategic planning—transforming legal departments into proactive business partners.

Rise of No-Code/Low-Code tools in legal software

No-code and low-code platforms empower legal professionals to build and customize workflows, dashboards, and applications without extensive technical skills. This democratization of tech development accelerates innovation, allowing firms to tailor solutions rapidly and respond agilely to changing needs.

Conclusion

The legal sector is embracing technology as a catalyst for change—moving away from manual, time-consuming processes toward smarter, more efficient operations. Early adopters of legal tech are seeing real impact: streamlined workflows, stronger client relationships, and better-informed decisions that boost long-term profitability.

Thinking about what’s next for your legal operations? At Making Sense, we help legal teams turn complexity into clarity through tailored digital solutions. Let’s connect and explore how we can support your growth.