Source: Medium, Jack Shepherd

The world of legal technology is filled with promises of efficiency, cost savings, and streamlined workflows. Yet, too often, legal tech ends up as “shelfware”—unused software that fails to deliver its intended value. Why does this happen? The answer lies in focusing not just on the technology itself, but on the people who use it and how it’s implemented. Here are the core areas where successful legal tech implementation can bridge the gap between technology and users, ensuring meaningful adoption and impact.

1. Financial Responsibility: Track Your Investment

Unused technology is more than just missed opportunity—it’s wasted money. Legal teams and law firms invest substantial amounts in software solutions, but when these tools aren’t actively used, they become a financial burden. To avoid this, legal departments should track usage metrics and measure ROI continuously. By understanding the real value of your technology, you can ensure it aligns with your team’s needs and doesn’t drain resources unnecessarily.

2. Smart Resource Allocation: Plan for Success

Legal tech implementation isn’t as simple as a plug-and-play solution. It requires careful planning, from involving the IT team for integration to ensuring support staff is ready for any troubleshooting. Every new system demands time and attention from various departments, which means proper resource allocation is crucial. Avoid wasted time and ensure efficient implementation by including all relevant stakeholders from the beginning and maintaining a structured plan that aligns with your firm’s goals.

3. Building Trust to Overcome Resistance

For legal professionals who are already juggling demanding caseloads, new technology can feel like another obstacle. Often, lawyers may ignore or resist new tools if they feel the technology isn’t designed with their needs in mind. The key here is trust. To build it, prioritise a people-centred approach: show lawyers how the technology makes their work easier, not harder. Directly addressing the “zone of apathy” where users don’t see the value in switching from familiar methods is essential. When lawyers believe the technology genuinely helps them, they’re more likely to adopt and champion it within their teams.

4. Emphasising Real-World Solutions, Not Just Software Features

It’s easy to get excited about cutting-edge features, but these won’t matter if the end-users don’t care. Instead of focusing on tech specifications, emphasise the specific, day-to-day problems the technology solves. Does it streamline document management? Reduce the time needed for compliance checks? Highlighting these practical benefits can help legal teams see the immediate impact on their work. Remember, technology adoption is about more than just a great product—it’s about demonstrating how that product fits seamlessly into existing workflows.

Read more: Medium, Jack Shepherd