Understanding the Modern Legal Consumer
Today's legal consumers bring expectations shaped by their experiences with consumer technology. They expect immediate responses, transparent processes, and frictionless interactions—expectations that most law firms struggle to meet.
Clio's 2024 Legal Trends Report reveals a widening gap between these expectations and law firm capabilities. This gap creates a strategic opportunity for legal tech companies to position themselves as essential bridges between modern clients and traditional firms.
The Legal Technology Landscape
The current client experience technology landscape is fragmented across the client journey:
Research & Selection Phase
- Legal directories and review platforms
- Website providers with basic contact forms
- Simple chatbots (used by only 7% of firms)
- Lead capture tools with limited follow-up capabilities
Intake & Onboarding Phase
- E-signature solutions (improving conversion rates by 10%)
- Basic online intake forms (improving time-to-hire by 8%)
- Scheduling tools (improving time-to-hire by 7%)
- CRM systems adapted from other industries
Matter Management & Resolution Phases
- Client portals with varying usability
- Secure document sharing platforms
- Billing and payment systems
- Communication tools with limited automation
This fragmentation creates positioning opportunities for solutions that bridge gaps between journey phases or provide superior experiences within a single phase.
Strategic Positioning Options
Legal tech companies can position themselves in three distinct ways to become essential in the client journey:
1. The Experience Unifier
Position your solution as the connective tissue between fragmented client experiences:
- Integrate multiple journey phases into a cohesive client experience
- Eliminate data re-entry across different systems
- Provide consistent client interfaces throughout the relationship
- Offer comprehensive analytics across the entire client lifecycle
Key Metric: Reduction in client journey friction points
2. The Specialized Excellence Provider
Focus on delivering exceptional capabilities within a specific journey phase:
- Develop deep expertise in a single client touchpoint
- Offer capabilities significantly better than general-purpose alternatives
- Create specialized tools for specific practice areas or client types
- Build integration capabilities with adjacent-phase solutions
Key Metric: Performance superiority within your chosen specialization
3. The Invisible Infrastructure Provider
Position your solution as underlying infrastructure that powers multiple client touchpoints:
- Provide API-first capabilities that other solutions can leverage
- Develop data models that span multiple journey phases
- Create workflow engines that can be customized by firms
- Offer white-label components that enhance other systems
Key Metric: Adoption by other technology providers in the ecosystem
Partnership Strategies
No single solution can own the entire client journey. Strategic partnerships expand your impact:
1. Complementary Solution Partnerships
Partner with providers in adjacent journey phases:
- Intake solutions partnering with practice management systems
- Website providers partnering with CRM platforms
- Payment processors partnering with document automation tools
2. Channel Partnerships
Leverage established distribution channels:
- Practice management platforms with marketplaces
- Bar associations with member benefit programs
- Legal consultants and implementation specialists
3. Data Enhancement Partnerships
Connect with data providers that enhance client experiences:
- Legal research platforms
- Court record systems
- Matter pricing databases
Pricing Models Aligned with Client Journey Value
Your pricing should reflect where and how you create value in the client journey:
1. Volume-Based Models
Scale pricing based on client journey metrics:
- Per intake completed
- Per document processed
- Per client managed
2. Value-Share Models
Align pricing with measurable firm outcomes:
- Percentage of increased client conversion
- Share of efficiency gains achieved
- Portion of increased client satisfaction
3. Journey-Phase Models
Price according to which parts of the journey you address:
- Basic tier for single-phase capabilities
- Premium tier for multi-phase integration
- Enterprise tier for full journey management
Becoming Essential
The ultimate goal is to become infrastructure that firms can't operate without. Essential solutions share these characteristics:
- Deep integration: They become embedded in firm workflows
- Clear ROI: They demonstrate measurable value
- Client visibility: They create experiences clients notice and value
- Competitive standard: Firms without them are at a disadvantage
By focusing on specific client journey needs, delivering measurable improvements, and developing strategic partnerships, legal tech companies can position themselves as essential components of the modern legal service delivery model.
