LAWTECH GURU BLOG by Jeff Beard

Legal Technology Surveys

September was big on Legal Tech Surveys. LawNet published their "2004 Large Firm IT Spending Survey" and American Lawyer Media published their ninth annual "AmLaw Tech Survey".

Major themes are practical enhancements. Many of them could be categorized under the following:

• Upgrades to existing systems
• Increasing productivity and efficiency
• Communication and mobility (working from nearly anywhere while still having access to essential tools and data)

Nothing terribly sexy nor any surprise, but again, what would one expect at the beginning of an upswing? Firm management is cautiously optimistic and is taking the time to patch the roof and fix the plumbing before building any new wings.