In August, the Utah Supreme Court voted unanimously to create a provisional regulatory body. The name of the new organization is the Office of Legal Services Innovation. Their job is to oversee a 2-year experiment that gives law firms the freedom to rethink how they are delivering legal services. The goal of Utah’s sandbox is to increase access and affordability of legal services by creating innovative new ways of delivering that service.
Many of Utah’s underprivileged think that they can’t afford legal services, and so don’t seek them out. The hope is that the new flexibility in how those services are delivered will drive innovation and cost savings for those in need.
What does it mean for us?
This opens a lot of opportunities for law firms that are positioned to innovate in some way. It also changes the game a little by allowing non-lawyers to own a stake in a firm, and fee sharing, which they couldn’t do previously Opportunities for partnerships with non-legal entities are plentiful. Financial services firms, accountants, real estate firms, software development companies, and more.
There is a new company called LawPal, that is planning to offer a platform like TurboTax for divorce and eviction disputes. The possibilities are endless.
How will your firm take advantage?
With all the new possibilities opened by the sandbox, will your firm be taking advantage? If so, in what way? Do you have existing loose partnerships that might be formalized? Will you be diving into technology and developing new solutions for your clients? The answers to these and more questions could be pivotal for your firm’s future success.
Technology Challenges
Along with the endless possibilities available there are new challenges, specifically with technology that many firms haven’t faced to this point. Those new collaborations and partnerships will necessitate technology solutions to make them tick in many instances.
How will you communicate confidential client data to that new partner? Is there a need to integrate systems with an outside entity that didn’t exist before? If sharing client data is necessary how will you regulate it and secure it? The burden of making that that access is facilitated securely still rests with your firm.
In addition to security concerns, you may have need of new solutions like secure cloud-based file sharing, or document management. Maybe your firm suddenly has a need for software development or additional systems integration that didn’t exist. How will you solve the technical problems associated with this new world?
Free To Innovate
i.t.NOW has been supporting law firm’s technology needs for 20 years. We can help answer some of the difficult questions that the Sandbox may present. We also strive to be a true technology partner for our clients. Your success is our success. We have the solutions that your firm needs to adapt and thrive in this changing market. We love a challenge, and love to dig in and help build solutions for our clients.
If your firm is considering new technology as part of new service you’re developing for Utah’s Sandbox, we would love to help. Give our experienced team of experts a call today.
