Culture, complexity, and the cost of change
Garver says firm culture plays a significant role in how legal tech is received. While some regions or teams may be more inclined to adopt new tools – for example, collectivist cultures or compliance-heavy practices – others are more resistant.
He adds that rainmakers and high-performing lawyers can be especially hard to convince, as their success can make them less prone to conforming with the changes.
Complicating matters, different firms define success differently. Some seek to save costs; others prioritize compliance, speed, or client experience. He says that tech rollouts can lose focus without a shared understanding of what success looks like – or how to measure it.
“If you are trying to implement a technology that only meets the needs of a fraction of the audience, then there is another reason for failure,” Garver says.
He adds that some reluctance is tied to concerns over data privacy, while other resistance stems from the billing model itself – as efficient tools that reduce billable time challenge long-standing revenue practices in the profession.