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e legal industry is notoriously resistant to change. Led by severely
outdated court systems, the profession has—until recently—felt little
historical pressure to innovate by modifying habits or implementing
new tools. However, the global pandemic, coupled with the "Age of the
Customer," has changed everything. Embracing technology is no longer
just an option but an imperative.
e transition to remote operations has
expedited the implementation of technology
into legal operations as the legal system has
been disrupted at nearly every level. Stay-at-
home mandates left courthouses and other
in-person proceedings shuttered with all but
essential businesses closed and many unwilling
or unable to leave their homes.
Meanwhile, modern consumers are
simply not satisfied with the slow, inefficient,
and outdated methods emblematic of the
legal industry. Technology giants have set
a gold standard for communication and
transparency that other businesses, including
law firms, must emulate as digital natives
become the norm.
THE AGE OF THE CUSTOMER
Driven by the idea that the only sustainable
competitive advantage is knowledge and
engagement with customers, the "Age of
the Customer" is—according to a Forrester
report—a 20-year business cycle in which
the most successful enterprises will reinvent
themselves by becoming more customer-facing.
Indeed, among the many challenges
caused by a global pandemic intersecting with
widespread customer demand is the need for
better, faster, and more efficient service across
the board.
Jennifer Leonard, Penn Law's Chief
Innovation Officer, is one legal professional
who thinks there will be a bright side to the
Feature By: Sascha Mehlhase
IS IT TIME TO
REEVALUATE
YOUR APPROACH
TO CUSTOMER
SERVICE?
The global pandemic, coupled with the "Age of the Customer," has made
embracing technology an imperative.
