Competing in a Digital First World: How Technology Drives Law Firm Performance

By Dan Hurley, Chief Commercial Officer, SurePoint Technologies

Part of SurePoint's Beyond Practice Management: The Furure of Firm Peformance series

In our last article, Winning the War for Talent, Phil Flora explored how data-driven hiring and retention strategies are helping law firms attract and empower their people. But talent alone isn’t enough. To truly unlock performance, firms must connect their people and processes through technology—creating a digital foundation that drives agility, profitability, and growth.

The Legal Industry’s Defining Moment

The legal industry is undergoing a profound transformation. Firms that once thrived on predictable revenue models and hierarchical structures now face a new set of pressures: clients demanding transparency and value, talent seeking flexibility and purpose, and artificial intelligence reshaping how legal work gets done.

The question is no longer if law firms will change—but how quickly can they adapt. Technology is no longer a back-office function. It’s the strategic differentiator between firms that lead and firms that lag.

Digital transformation isn’t about chasing every new tool. It’s about building a connected ecosystem that aligns people, data, and workflows to drive performance. Technology must be intuitive, integrated, and built for the way attorneys actually work—not the way systems were designed decades ago.

The Disruption Is Here

AI and automation are redefining every aspect of legal operations—from contract review and matter management to forecasting profitability and analyzing client relationships. As one industry leader put it, “AI will blow up the BigLaw model faster than most think.” Firms that hesitate risk more than inefficiency—they risk losing their clients.

Clients now expect digital-first collaboration, predictive insights, and value-driven outcomes. Fee-sharing structures, lateral mobility, and non-equity partnerships are reshaping traditional hierarchies. Technology can help firms meet these changes head-on by providing transparency into origination credit, matter profitability, and career progression—areas that have historically been opaque.

Modern Law Practice Demands New Capabilities

Success in this environment requires more than isolated tools. It demands a unified platform that supports every facet of firm performance.

Leading firms are investing in:

• Business development and client management: CRM platforms and analytics dashboards deepen relationships and measure engagement.
• Recruiting and onboarding: Streamlined workflows for conflicts checks, credentialing, and integration reduce time-to-productivity.
• Knowledge management: Centralized data on clients, markets, and attorney metrics empowers leaders to make informed decisions.

SurePoint’s survey of in-house legal departments reveals that many teams still rely on email, spreadsheets, and outdated tools for core processes. While electronic legal research and AI adoption are rising, fewer than 30% use practice or matter management software—a gap that represents both risk and opportunity.

Technology as Competitive Advantage

Firms that make technology core to their operations report measurable gains across efficiency, performance, and profitability.

• Efficiency: Automation eliminates bottlenecks and frees attorneys to focus on high-value work.
• Data-driven decision-making: Dashboards provide visibility into origination credit, client profitability, and recruitment ROI.
• Integration and retention: AI-powered onboarding and evaluation tools improve lateral integration and reduce attrition.
• Strategic alignment: A unified platform enables leaders to focus on value creation rather than administrative firefighting.

Technology should empower, not overwhelm, law firms. When it’s built for the way attorneys actually work, it becomes an enabler of growth, transparency, and long-term success.

Cloud Adoption and Connected Systems

The foundation of digital transformation is connectivity. Firms can no longer afford disjointed systems that trap information in silos.

According to the 2024 ABA Legal Technology Survey, approximately 75% of attorneys now use cloud computing for work-related tasks—yet adoption remains inconsistent across departments, limiting the benefits of integrated data.

Cloud-based practice management systems, like SurePoint Legal Suite, enable real-time collaboration, centralized matter management, and data security that meets modern compliance standards.

Beyond Billable Hours

The traditional partnership model—built on high billable targets and limited visibility—has reached its limits. Non-equity partners often face unrealistic expectations and opaque metrics for performance and compensation.

Modern legal technology enables a more sustainable, data-driven model by:

• Tracking effort and outcomes across both billable and non-billable activities.
• Linking compensation to value creation and client impact.
• Enhancing visibility into origination, workload, and profitability.

These capabilities don’t just improve performance—they transform culture. Technology provides the transparency and accountability needed to align individual success with firm strategy.

Overcoming Barriers to Adoption

Despite the clear benefits, many firms struggle to modernize due to perceived cost, cultural resistance, or lack of technical expertise. The key is to start small, focus on measurable outcomes, and build momentum.

Successful adoption starts with people. Firms that listen to their teams, invest in training, and align technology to firm strategy are the ones that turn innovation into impact.

The Future Is Digital-First

Firms that cling to legacy processes risk losing both talent and clients. The law firm of the future will be agile, transparent, and digitally enabled—leveraging data, automation, and AI not only to streamline operations but also to elevate client service and empower every member of the firm.

By embracing technology as a strategic imperative, firms can:

• Automate repetitive tasks and reduce burnout.
• Provide real-time visibility into performance and profitability.
• Streamline recruitment and lateral integration.
• Deliver a modern, transparent client experience.

The future of law is digital-first. The firms that move decisively now will define it. Those that wait will be left navigating a marketplace that values speed, insight, and innovation over tradition.

Next in the Series: In our next article, The Cost of Inaction: How Outdated Systems Undermine Firm Performance, Jamie Nawrocki, SurePoint's Chief Product Office, explores how legacy technology quietly erodes profitability, productivity, and client trust—and why modernization is no longer optional for firms that want to lead. Follow the full series: Beyond Practice Management: The Future of Firm Performance.