Legal Tech in Indian Legal Industry

Legal tech has been the buzz word in legal industry in United States, UK, Australia Canada and Europe since 2014. In India, it is slowly catching up. What is legal tech? The phrase refers to legal technology, basically software or other programs that helps lawyers or law firms, with billing, accounting, e-discovery etc. In a broader sense it includes every kind of technology be it, e-discovery or allied services like documentation, legal research, practice management etc.. In short, it is technology that makes the lives of lawyers a little bit more easier. In India the legal tech is slowly emerging and there are now several businesses operating in this domain. In terms of venture capital and angel investment, the legal tech sector in India is still in its nascent stages, but the future certainly is bright.

So what the future of legal tech in India?

Change or disruption in the legal industry in India is inevitable, although it’s going to be very slow in its penetration. I still remember how law firms were reluctant to have emails. In 2005, not very many lawyer in India very using email with the same frequency as they do now. But things have certainly changed and the legal market is not what it used to be in 2000.

The sharing economy has paved way to several DIY law services. In India already there are over ten DIY legal service providers. This does not necessarily mean that these services are competing with the lawyers. A symbiotic relation can exist between the lawyers and the DIY service providers. It is possible for the lawyers to advice on the broader legal aspect and steps to proceed, while leaving the execution to the clients who use the DIY service providers. The consumers of legal market do demand more efficient services and the lawyers also need the technology to compete in an overcrowded market. There are a few service providers in India which connect the lawyers to potential clients. Such services could become the go-to place for clients to search and find new lawyers in the coming years. Even in the case of legal billing or legal research, there are companies that operate exclusively in those domains and these services, apps and technology helps to make the service of the lawyers more efficient. One of the biggest challenges the legal tech companies and the lawyers face is the lack of a forum to know about the services of one another and how these technologies can help the lawyers to provider better service or grow their practice.

The author is the Founder & CEO of Lawpundits Global. Lawpundits is organizing a Legal Tech Fair 2017 on July 15th in New Delhi.