Law firms missing key client inquiries

Plus: E-discovery challenges for small firms | Cleary’s new partnership tier

Raise The Bar

Oct 17, 2024 • 4 min read

Is your firm missing out on new business? A recent survey reveals a worrying drop in law firm responsiveness, with many losing out on potential clients. Small firms are also grappling with the complexities of e-discovery, and AI’s growing role in litigation. But first: A look at the first 11 minutes of the new season of The Lincoln Lawyer on Netflix. It's time to Raise the Bar.

In today's newsletter:

Law firms answer fewer phone and email inquiries
Small firms struggle with e-discovery challenges
AI could trigger a rise in lawsuits and legal risks
LSAT registrations spike: Find out why
Cleary adds a non-equity partnership tier

LSAT registrations rise by 22,000 people YOY

According to the Law School Admission Council, the LSAT registration cycle for the period of August through November 2024 has seen an 18% increase from the same period in 2023. As more than 22,000 additional people sign up to take the law school admissions test, the competition to get into law schools across the country will rise. While factors including the upcoming election and recent Supreme Court decisions may play a role, there may also be a more direct cause: The August test was the first since the elimination of the “logic games” section of the exam. (JD Journal)

Answer the phone, new survey tells lawyers

The recently released Legal Trends Report from Clio offers a wide-ranging picture of the profession, including a “secret shopper” survey of 500 law firms indicating that many firms neglect basic onboarding tasks. According to the survey, about 40% of phone inquiries to law firms were answered, down from 56% in 2019. The survey showed a similar drop in email responses, down from 40% to 33%. Improving onboarding can lead to 50% more potential incoming clients, the survey noted. (LawNext)

Big data and small firms: E-discovery challenges

As the amount of electronic data continues to increase, small firms may have trouble keeping up. Nicole Gill, chair and managing member of Cozen O’Connor’s CODISCOVR e-discovery and information governance practice, recommends that firms use technology-assisted review and consider outsourcing; while avoiding shortcuts like allowing custodians to collect their own data. “To effectively manage vast and expanding volumes of digital information from diverse and complex sources and stay competitive, these firms must implement robust data management practices, utilize technology-assisted review (TAR), and engage in early case assessments to avoid legal or ethical consequences,” Gill writes. (Reuters)

Will AI “litigation-as-a-service” lead to lawsuits?

According to the co-founders of legal tech company Hence Technologies, AI will soon make it much easier for both bad actors and competitors to file large quantities of lawsuits. While the threat may be similar to cybersecurity risks, companies will be hindered by confidentiality and privilege concerns from collaborating in measures like risk clearinghouses, an article written by Stephen Heitkamp and Sean West in Harvard Business Review notes. “Future legal risks will be legal fishing expeditions akin to internet ‘phishing’ attacks: less personal, mass-produced actions initiated by many actors,” wrote Heitkamp and West. (Harvard Business Review)

Thank you for reading Raise The Bar.

Every Thursday, you'll hear from our team about the most pressing issues facing legal practices today. We'll also try to include some quick-hit reads that touch on interesting cases and precedents being set worldwide.

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