102: Technology Isn’t Making Legal Decisions with Lucy Bassli

Law Firms Are Poised to Offer Broad Solutions

Lucy Bassli’s new adventure allows her to have a broad impact on the legal industry. Through her work at LawGeex and the organization she founded, InnoLegal Services, she provides both the ‘what’ of legal advice and the ‘how’ of a consultancy; advising on the effective delivery and receipt of legal services.   We summarize our LeftFoot Podcast, Episode 102, below.

Today’s in-house legal departments shouldn’t have to pick a law firm and an alternative service provider. They shouldn’t have to piece together service efficiencies and legal tech.   Today it’s more common that law firms are coordinating legal administration and technology on behalf of clients. Law firms are perfectly poised to offer a broad legal tech and human resource solution.

We’re at an inflection point, the volume of work is overwhelming and budgets aren’t unlimited. Lawyers need to get comfortable with other people and systems doing things on their behalf. It’s smart risk-taking. Relying on technology is no different from relying on a paralegal or an alternative legal solution or outsourcer to help.  When automating an integral part of a lawyer’s work adoption comes from positioning the new solution as not different but more efficient due to technology. The technology is not making decisions, its helping lawyers do things faster and with more information.

The UK and specifically London seem to be buzzing about legal innovation and legal tech. A recent LeftFoot guest suggested that professional services within the UK specifically London had to quickly implement innovation and efficiencies after the downturn in 2008. The UK didn’t bounce back like the States did. The alternative business structures in the UK allow the delivery of legal services by other businesses, other business people created a healthy tension for innovation.

While there are no reasons legal professionals should be threatened by legal technology and outsourcing; there is no reason the legal field should continue as is.

Lucy Bassli is a recognized leader in legal operations and innovation. The former Assistant General Counsel at Microsoft she recently joined LawGeex as Chief Legal Strategist. She also founded her own law firm and consultancy, InnoLegal Services.

Lucy Bassli Bio