RDJ chief says technology will render law firms ‘unrecognisable’

Law firms will be “unrecognisable” to us within a decade due to technological advances, the managing partner of Cork-based firm Ronan Daly Jermyn (RDJ) has said.

Richard Martin told the Irish Examiner that technology had become a top priority for law firms seeking an edge over their competition.

And he argued the Irish legal market was set to become even more competitive as UK firms look to Ireland as their post-Brexit EU base.

Mr Martin said: “I believe law firms, and all professional services, will in 10 years be unrecognisable to what they are now.”

He pointed to technological advances in his own firm as an example of innovations that are already changing the way law firms work.

Mr Martin said the firm’s shift towards corporate representation away from personal services was “underpinned by technology”, with technology playing a key role in allowing the firm’s lawyers to communicate with clients based “right across the world”.

Mr Martin also suggested technology could boost lawyers’ productivity.

He said: “We have just introduced a software system where you can directly access our systems from your mobile phone. I don’t have to send faxes or emails, you can come straight into our system and look at data rooms. You can access certain parts of your file through an app.

“We’ve taken out a substantial part of the human element. It’s incredibly secure and there are a series of security hurdles to get through — it is more secure than if I sent you information by email or whatever.”