Law firms can use technology to improve client service – Roca Junyent

Technology is revolutionising interaction between lawyers and their clients, but businesses will still have a close relationship with their legal advisers

Law firms need to fully utilise technology to improve services to clients in an unpredictable economic climate, says Joan Roca, managing partner of Roca Junyent in Madrid.
He adds that, given the current economic conditions, clients will be relying more heavily on their legal advisers. “The reality is that, due to the political situation in Europe, the year ahead for the legal market in general is looking increasingly uncertain,” he says. “As a result, I think there will be a greater need to offer clients legal support, legal opinions and advice on regulatory matters, in particular.”
Roca says technology will play an increasingly important role in meeting this demand and will foster improved communication between lawyers and clients.
“There are a lot of processes and internal procedures that used to be more ‘handmade’ as it were, but now everything is more technical in terms of being more controlled and more centralised,” he explains. “This, along with the fact there are so many different lines of communication, has made it so much easier for lawyers to talk to their clients.”
However, Roca says that, despite the fact that technology is revolutionising the way lawyers interact with their clients, clients will still have a close relationship with their legal advisers. “Clients will never be lost in the transaction and not know who they are talking to,” he says.
“They will just be able to benefit from technology that allows lawyers from different departments to share any changes – we will all continue to work as we used to.”
Roca says that technology is facilitating better communication between lawyers and their clients. “We are always available to our clients 24/7,” he says. “That will never change. We just now have tools that allow us to work in a more speedy and efficient way.”