Legal tech software: cloud solution for a period of good weather in your law firm

The current buzzword "legal tech" is getting an extension - software from the cloud. Legal tech software from the cloud brings together what is actually a dream team anyway: Helpful IT solutions for legal and tax advice cavort in a web-based cloud. Good legal tech software automates workflows in law firms, and the cloud enables location-independent access to the associated software. 

But wait - access from anywhere? Does that mean access for everyone, and is it even secure? It's important to take a closer look, because legal tech software from the cloud is not always a fair-weather cloud. In this article, we'll show you what legal tech cloud computing is all about and how you can use it to optimize your workflows.

What are legal tech applications?

Legal tech applications are software applications that are specially designed for legal professions. For example, they support law firm-specific workflows, optimize collaboration with clients and automate repeatable processes from the professional fields of legal and tax advice. This allows you to make legal services more efficient and accessible to more people.

Your advantages: More flexibility with legal tech cloud computing for you & your clients

We see time and again that flexibility is the greatest strength that cloud computing has to offer in the legal tech sector. 

By way of explanation: Cloud computing means that the legal tech software that makes your day-to-day work easier is not stored on your law firm's own server. Instead, it is stored on an external server in a cloud, which means that all authorized persons with Internet access can access it from anywhere.

After the technical background, let's move on to the tangible benefits that cloud-based software for legal departments, law firms and notary's offices brings you and your clients:

• Flexibility: If the legal tech software is made available via the cloud, your employees and clients can access the software applications from anywhere - the keywords here are home office and location independence!
• Security: data security & co are rightly hotly debated when it comes to legal tech software from the cloud. Legal tech is more secure than many local solutions if your provider hosts the application in Europe in a GDPR-compliant and highly securely encrypted manner. 
• Maintenance: With a cloud solution for legal tech, the cloud provider is responsible for maintenance on its servers. This means that you do not have to use your law firm's human resources for this. 

Workflow automation & law firm organization: Cloud functions first?

As practical and flexible as you can make your law firm management from the cloud, many law firms make a crucial mistake: they think in terms of individual applications and functions instead of workflows. The result is often a hodgepodge of partial solutions that are of little help for the big picture. Therefore: workflows first, function second! 

As a collaboration suite by lawyers for lawyers, IURIO offers you well thought-out workflows and sensibly embedded functions. In principle, good legal tech software should have the following features: 

Web conferences 

If you want to work in or with a digital law firm , you need web meetings. This function should be included for secure, location-independent communication with clients and team members.

Data transfer 

It's probably common knowledge that email attachments are not the best solution for sending sensitive documents. What you need is secure data transfer so that you can send draft contracts, tax returns or annual financial statements on their way with peace of mind.

Digital signature

With the right legal tech software, you don't have to wait until the ink is dry for signatures. Instead, the e-signature or digital signature should be integrated. Then you won't have to wait long for signed documents. 

Communication channels 

To ensure that no one is tempted to use well-known messenger services with questionable data protection for professional purposes, the legal tech law firm should have functions such as a chat and messaging application up its sleeve.   

Legal Project Management 

Which brings us back to workflows. Legal project management functions allow you to structure workflows, keep an eye on deadlines and responsibilities and assign tasks. Then the right hand knows what the left hand is doing. 

On-premises vs. cloud solution: legal tech better on-premises or web-based?

On-premises and cloud solutions are two sides of the same coin: the value of the legal tech software solution remains the same, but the technical implementation is different. The cloud solution is web-based, while on-premises is installed locally on your law firm server. Here we show you the implications of both options:

Cloud

On-Premises

Expenditure

Low: You use an infrastructure that is already in place

Slightly higher: The legal tech applications must first be installed on your servers and PCs

Flexibility

High: With the appropriate authorizations, team members and clients can access the Legal Tech Software Cloud from anywhere

Slightly lower: In order to use the Legal Tech software, you either need access to your server or your own local installation

Security

It all depends: If the cloud servers are secure and located in the EU, for example, your data is too

It all depends: The application is only as secure as your internal server and IT are

Maintenance

Does the cloud provider take over for you

In your hands

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As the table above shows, the Legal Tech Software Cloud has some advantages. On-premises often seems more secure, but this perceived security depends heavily on how well you protect and maintain your own servers. Since a reliable cloud provider offers this service as part of the service, a cloud solution is often the better option for legal tech. 

IURIO offers you both versions to meet all customer requirements. We will be happy to advise you on which solution is best for your law firm.

Software for lawyers & legal departments: Cloud or on-premises solution with IURIO

The aim of the IURIO Collaboration Suite is to bundle individual solutions and optimize legal collaboration within the team and with clients. The software for lawyers, tax consultants, auditors and notaries is based on the work processes in law firms rather than on individual functions. Whether on-premises or via the cloud: with IURIO, you can optimize legal work in its entirety.

Guide & FAQ: What does the Legal Tech Software Cloud mean for your law firm?

If you have now decided to use the cloud to organize your law firm as a notary, lawyer or accounting and tax professional, you may have these questions:

Can I continue to use my existing software?

Basically, yes. With IURIO, for example, you can bundle your existing applications on a comprehensive platform. Then you have everything available at a glance instead of having to deal with isolated solutions. 

Can I also use the cloud solution from my home office?

One of the great advantages of the cloud solution is its flexibility. All you need is internet access and a laptop. Then you're ready to go - whether in the office, at home or from the Maldives.

Can my clients also use the cloud solution?

Yes, just like for you in your home office, this also applies to your clients: PC + internet access = access to legal tech software via the cloud for video calls and digital signatures!

How secure is my data and my clients' data in the cloud?

With the right provider, a cloud solution for legal tech is highly secure. So keep your eyes open when choosing. IURIO's servers, for example, are located in Europe, which is very important in terms of GDPR compliance. 

When exchanging messages via the Collaboration Suite, the data is also encrypted on the client side, i.e. it makes its way to the recipient already encoded. This means that nobody - not even Team IURIO - can view your data.

Instead of passwords (which are often stuck to a post-it on the screen), access is controlled via FIDO2 authentication methods such as Face ID or Touch ID. Details like these make the small but subtle difference between secure and highly secure.

Bright to cloudy? Outlook into the future of the legal tech software cloud

The relevance - and acceptance - of software solutions in the cloud is increasing. Legal professionals are also realizing that legal tech software from the cloud can be a real and secure relief. After all, it massively reduces the burden on law firms' internal IT. And clients are also increasingly embracing cloud solutions, as they also save them time, effort and therefore money. 

The issue of artificial intelligence in law and tax consultancy is still somewhat nebulous. While other professional fields are already being blown through by the first winds of change, legal expertise cannot be replaced by AI. However, in view of the developments described above, the cloud is more likely to become a constant digital weather condition. 

The Legal Tech Software Cloud: "Down to Earth" instead of above the clouds

Provided you choose a reputable provider, the Legal Tech Software Cloud offers you down-to-earth advantages in your day-to-day legal work. Instead of an insecure technical gimmick, you, your team and your clients gain flexibility, time and thus freed-up resources thanks to a secure type of legal tech application.

With IURIO, you can digitize legal workflows in a sophisticated way, both on-premises and in the cloud. Do you still need help deciding whether the Legal Tech Software Cloud is also your Cloud 7 when it comes to digitalization? Get in touch with us - we will be happy to advise you!

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