Advances in technology over the past few years have led to major changes across many industries, including the legal field. As artificial intelligence, big data, and other innovations continue to develop rapidly, the practice of law is being transformed in significant ways. Read on as we explore several key ways technology is changing the legal scene.

1. Making Document Review More Efficient

You may not think of sifting through piles of paperwork as cutting-edge work. However, technology like predictive coding and analytics tools have revolutionized how document review is conducted during litigation or investigations. Rather than having teams of junior lawyers manually reviewing each page, software can categorize documents using algorithms and even suggest which ones may be the most relevant for attorneys to focus on. This makes the process far more efficient for law firms and legal teams. It allows personal injury law firms to get to the crux of the case more quickly.

2. Enabling Better Legal Research

In the past, researching case law meant sifting through heavy legal tomes in a law library. Now, with specialized legal research databases offering digitized information, attorneys can look up relevant cases and rulings from their computer or phone. Along with this, new AI tools can even analyze legal documents to identify arguments and patterns automatically. This assists personal injury law firms in finding precedents and unique angles for their cases. It’s enabling lawyers to conduct more in-depth, data-driven analysis efficiently.

3. Streamlining Discovery Requests

Discovery is an intensive process for gathering information from the opposing side in litigation. It often involves extensive document requests, written questionnaires called interrogatories, and depositions. By utilizing software to generate and organize discovery automatically, the amount of legwork needed is drastically reduced. Firms specializing in personal injury law rely heavily on discovery for gathering evidence and can benefit greatly from these innovations. Tech is working to make this phase of litigation less manual and labor-intensive across the board.

4. Helping Automate Basic Tasks

From email organization to scheduling meetings and tracking billable hours, new solutions aimed specifically at the legal sector are available to help automate daily administrative burdens for lawyers. For personal injury law firms looking to maximize efficiency, letting software handle these basic tasks allows attorneys to better leverage their expertise for more value-added work. It also reduces the risk of errors that can occur with manual processes. So, technology is actively improving productivity and output.

5. Making the Courtroom Paperless

The volumes of paperwork involved in legal proceedings can be staggering. But courts are increasingly going paperless by implementing electronic case filing systems and introducing technology into the courtroom itself. Judges can view relevant materials and evidence electronically during trials. Attorneys can instantly display documents, visuals, or videos on screens for emphasis. Although physical files have not been eliminated entirely yet, technology is making strides toward a paperless legal system.

6. Enabling Remote Work Capabilities

The virtual shift brought on by COVID-19 gave legal teams a crash course in moving to remote work environments. Many personal injury law firms discovered that solutions like virtual data rooms, document-sharing platforms, video conferencing apps, and cloud-based phone systems allowed business operations to carry on fairly smoothly when working from home. Now, as more teams embrace hybrid or permanent remote models, technology is essential for supporting this new normal. Plus, it gives smaller firms access to capabilities historically only available in fancy downtown office spaces. This budding transformation is just beginning though. As tools improve over time, location-dependent legal norms will likely have more disruptive impacts.



As exciting new applications emerge, tech will inevitably keep evolving legal work in unexpected ways. Personal injury law firms and attorneys across all fields must keep an open mind to fully leverage the benefits. According to Clio, just under 60% of attorneys use web-based software solutions. Falling behind on the latest software or databases could negatively impact their ability to take on cases efficiently down the road. However, by embracing technology, legal professionals will open new doors for their careers and practices over the next decade and beyond. Reach out to Gridley, Ward & Hamilton today to learn how we can help with your case.