Legal Current

Throughout the legal profession, around the world, people in all kinds of roles and jobs are keenly aware of the swift advances in technology that have changed the way work gets done and how people interact.

Both within a company, and with customers and clients.

Technology trends were front and center at the 2010 ProLaw User Conference in New Mexico yesterday when Kelli Crane, senior vice president and chief information officer for Thomson Reuters, focused on three concepts affecting businesses.

Her presentation was titled “Technology Trends: Embracing Change and Preparing for the Future.”

Here are the trends she highlighted:

1 -Software as a Service

Crane defined SaaS as “using the internet to share resources, software and information on demand, like electricity.”

She said SaaS allows businesses to leverage “multiple people, multiple big companies using that software so you get this wide array of capabilities and enhancements that you probably wouldn’t be able to do on your own.”

2 – Collaboration

“I really think that collaboration will fundamentally change they way we run global businesses over the next 15 years,” Crane said.

She focused her remarks about this trend at “millennials and workers with global mindsets” who she says will drive businesses toward increased use of social networking tools.

As a result, both internally and externally, Crane said “the pressure is on to come up with collaboration tools to allow people to do the things they’re used to doing.” Things like project work, meetings and getting information on the go.

3 – Mobile

It’s clear mobile has been a trend in the making for a few years, and it’s not going anywhere. The challenge, Crane said, is how to tap into our mobile habits for work and away from work.

“As mobile devices become smarter they will increasingly redefine where and how we work,” said Crane. “Companies need to adopt a mobile mindset or get left behind.”

She said the smartphone is just one piece of it. Many companies are looking into virtual desktops where you can do everything you’d normally do from your desk, on your mobile device.

Crane wrapped up her remarks with a reminder that the workplace is transforming with or without people who act on the trends outlined above.

So I’ll end this post by asking the same question Crane posed to the ProLaw User Conference attendees:

How will you use these new challenges and some of these new tools in your business to drive for future growth?

Posted by Kevin Hunt in: In Business | Industry trends |