Breaking free: the need for tech flexibility

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Tech adoption is high in Australia’s legal community, but satisfaction is low. Clio discusses how it’s revolutionising the legal tech industry with flexibility, easing the switch from rigid long-term contracts

IN AN ERA of rapid technological progression, the Australian legal sector has found itself at a crossroads. The enthusiasm of the legal industry for new and disruptive technologies is undeniable. According to the 2023 Legal Landscape research report by ALPMA, practice management software is the most widely used technology in the sector. However, practice management platform Clio highlights that while tech adoption in Australia is at an all-time high, satisfaction rates with current software are surprisingly low. The ALPMA report identifies time and resources as the most significant barriers to entry for law firms, followed closely by cost. Denise Farmer, general manager of APAC at Clio, says there’s a real demand for cutting-edge technology, but the market has some catching up to do with regard to flexibility and cost.

Clio is the world’s leading provider of cloud-based legal technology, providing lawyers with low-barrier, affordable solutions to manage and grow their firms more effectively, more profitably, and with better client experiences. Used by more than 150,000 legal professionals spanning more than 100 countries, Clio has earned the approval of over 90 bar associations and law societies across the globe. Clio has the most 5-star reviews of any legal practice management software, cementing its position as a pioneer in the industry. With its intuitive platform design, it redefines how lawyers manage their firms by equipping them with the tools they need to run their firms securely from any device, anywhere.

“The multi-year model is very prevalent in the Australian Practice Management Systems [PMS] market, and it definitely makes it harder for firms to switch systems and extract their data”

Denise Farmer, Clio

“There’s definitely a demand for true cloud-based solutions that have been built from the ground up, as well as access to the most secure and future-ready technologies,” Farmer tells Australasian Lawyer. “There’s a great deal of interest in cloud practice management systems that simplify every aspect of how law practices are run today, while providing a solid foundation for an AI-dominant future. However, the multi-year contract model has made it difficult for firms to really explore their options.”

When it comes to adopting new platforms, the pathway is often fraught with difficulties. Farmer notes that a natural fear of change is usually at the forefront of this – however, the PMS industry’s habit of creating long-term contracts is also a significant factor. “The multi-year model is very prevalent in the Australian PMS market, and it definitely makes it harder for firms to switch systems and extract their data,” Farmer explains. “It makes the process of changing providers much more difficult, and lawyers are already risk-averse when it comes to change.”

Concerns over potential business disruption, downtime, and significant resource investment are also common – particularly for the notoriously time-pressured legal industry. With this in mind, Farmer notes that Clio has been designed to be “very intuitive,” with an open ecosystem that integrates well with the tools that firms are already using. Clio has also invested heavily in onboarding, training, and support, all with the goal of minimising business disruption as much as possible. To address the issue of long-term contracts in the legal practice management industry, Clio is launching its massively popular Break Free campaign in Australia. The campaign has already proved to be a hit in the UK and US, and allows law firms stuck in annualised or three-year contracts to switch to Clio’s more flexible option. Denise Farmer notes that Clio will cover up to six months of a firm’s first year on its platform as part of the promotion, allowing it to minimise the financial constraints that would otherwise come with switching providers. “The exact amount we’ll cover depends on how far the firm is into their contract, and how much cost remains in it – but the goal is to provide a really seamless migration that includes onboarding and support,” Farmer says.

“Not only have we had success in the US and UK with this program, but we saw that the majority of new firms that joined Clio in 2023 were using existing practice management software. What’s interesting about Australia is that it has a really high adoption [rate] of legal practice management software combined with low satisfaction. That’s why we’re trying to make it financially easier to make the switch.” As an added perk, Clio is offering a $100 gift card to law firms interested in a demo. Farmer says the small incentive aims to encourage firms to take a look at what Clio is doing and learn more about its flexible and user-friendly options. Law firms that have already switched to Clio have noticed the difference. Ian Aldridge, founder and principal lawyer at Progressive Legal, says that over his last 20 years of practice, he’s used roughly as many practice management systems – but none of them ever seemed to fit the bill.

“There’s a lot of vibrant, grassroots tech innovation here in Australia that is world-class and world-leading, and we’re really happy to be at the forefront of that”

Denise Farmer, Clio

“Clio is just so far apart,” Aldridge says. “Before we were extremely frustrated with previous providers who would either hold our data, or it was slow or clunky. There are no locked-in contracts with Clio, and you pay by the user. Clio stands by its product, and that was really clear, open, and transparent. That just really connected with me because we also stand by what we do."

Commenting on the evolution of legal practice management in Australia, Farmer says that an increase in flexibility is inevitable. She notes that providers who fail to move away from rigid, long-term contracts will likely find themselves struggling as firms become a lot more savvy about their options. With this in mind, she says that Clio won’t be looking to lock its customers in. Instead, its pathway forward is focused on ensuring service-based loyalty.

An increasing need for flexibility

The future of legal practice management

Published 08 Apr 2024

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Investing in technology: biggest barriers

33%

time and resources

cost

29%

11%

internal bureaucracy

10%

lack of knowledge

10%

fear of change

Source: ALPMA Changing Legal Landscape report 2023

Practice management software

Clio: key features

Billing

Client engagement

Document management

“We want our customers to stay with us because of what we provide, and so it becomes impossible to get complacent,” Farmer explains. “It places a premium on continued investment and innovation, and that’s something that the local market is really crying out for.” Ultimately, Farmer says that the future for the tech sector in Australia is bright. The local legal tech community is vibrant and highly involved, and law firms will be voicing their pain points and pushing for them to be addressed. “Anyone who doesn’t provide this sort of flexibility will struggle,” she says. “There’s a lot of vibrant, grassroots tech innovation here in Australia that is world-class and world-leading, and we’re really happy to be at the forefront of that.” Clio launched in Australia in January 2023. To find out more about Clio’s offering, its Break Free campaign, and how it can benefit your law firm, visit clio.com/au/web/break-free.

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