The total caseload in American courts decreased by 2.8% in the year 2018. The litigation sector also suffered a major hit in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic last year. This was after court cases stagnated due to the ban on in-person proceedings.
Most law firms are struggling to shake off the effects of the pandemic. The best way to proceed is to pay attention to the changing trends in the sector.
So what legal trends will shape this important sector in the year 2021? This article reveals some of the hottest trends that will shape the sector this year.
What’s new in law 2021? Read on to learn about the new legal trends 2021.
Remote Legal Work
Nothing prepared anyone in the legal profession for the changing dynamics in the post-COVID-19 era. Most of the legal processes have traditionally been in-person within the office or court context. However, in the year 2021, much of the legal processes will go remote.
Remote work will be a new concept for most law firms stuck in the traditional way of things. This trend will pick up pace this year, given the need to obey social-distancing advisories. For any firm to succeed this year there will be a need to deal with the underlying challenge of minimizing paperwork and in-person interactions in favor of remote working.
Greater Reliance on Technology
This will be an inevitable reaction to the changing scope of remote work. Most of the litigation functions this year will go virtual as more law firms adopt a remote-approach to work. This outcome will be a greater focus on technology-based communication as much of the information storage options will be in digital form.
The year 2021 will witness greater demand for legal officers to become more tech-savvy as they adjust to the use of technology to accomplish routine duties. Options such as management software are becoming a critical pillar in keeping members within the legal fraternity up-to-date.
Other advancements in technology, such as automatic time tracking, will also play a critical role in shaping the legal context’s technological landscape. This law trend will have a great impact on the efficiency of the court system.
Speedier Legal Processes
The two courtroom trends discussed above will form the basis for the changes in how legal processes proceed. In the future, you’ll notice the speedy completion of legal processes and procedures. Part of this change will be due to the automated process in the accomplishment of routine procedures.
As more firms invest in legal software, there’ll be a unique change in the approach to doing things within the legal context. The use of legal time tracking software and other modern tools will minimize time wastage. This trend will help reduce the backlog of cases that currently affect the judicial system.
Increase in Employment Litigation
The year 2021 will be unique, as most companies struggle to get back on their feet following the financial upheavals of 2020. The result of this situation has been the massive shutdowns of companies. With this prevailing concern comes issues related to employment conflicts.
Employment-related litigation will be at the core of court processes this year. The number of litigants seeking compensation due to dismissals will almost double. As such, more legal firms will spend time dealing with the aftermath of this unexpected scenario.
Firms that have a background in employment law will have an advantage in dealing with such legal matters this year. The cost of litigation will also go up.
More Focus on Client Experience
The changing scope of customer experience has directly impacted how legal teams will approach and handle legal matters. The modern client in the year 2021 will expect value-based service delivery. One of the leading legal trends in the year 2021 will be a greater focus on customer experience.
Legal firms and teams who’ll be able to offer value-based services will win the tussle against competitors. Aspects such as efficiency and creativity in service delivery will take the day.
If a legal firm can place a high value around service delivery, then this year will be one for accelerated growth. Read on to find out more about our client-centric legal services.
Rise of Targeted Services
In the past, most legal firms have been focusing on offering everything to everyone. This will change in the year 2021. The emergence of micro-niches within the legal practice will begin to take route this year.
Micro-niches means that both clients and legal firms will begin to focus on targeted services. The era of jack-of-trades will soon be over as more firms take a backseat towards specialization. If you run a legal firm, then 2021 should shape you more towards offering niche services.
The best thing about micro-niches is that they provide you with an unmatched experience. This legal trend will also witness a greater focus on more lucrative areas such as family law. Targeted services will be an easy way of growing your legal practice.
Growth of Online Services
Finding a lawyer was a daunting task in the past. Clients had to visit a physical office to gain access to a lawyer or legal services. However, this will change in a major way in the year 2021.
This year, there will be a change in how legal firms and individual lawyers approach the process of advertising. The year 2021 will witness more legal processes starting online. More lawyers will seek pre-appointment engagements with clients via digital platforms.
The change in how legal teams use social media, websites, and other digital platforms will become more visible this year. Digital marketing will be among the key law trends of 2021.
Watch Out for These Legal Trends in 2021
The legal landscape continues to evolve at a rapid pace. With the introduction of technology in the court proceedings and the emergence of remote working, 2021 will witness interesting patterns in doing things.
If you are interested in the legal trends within the legal context, you need to pay attention to these seven. These patterns will have a major impact on the proceedings and resolution of legal cases.
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