11 Trends Shaping the Future of Legal Tech: What’s Next?
The legal industry is undergoing a profound transformation driven by technology. Law firms, legal departments, financial and accounting professionals, and technology decision-makers are rapidly adopting innovative solutions to stay competitive, enhance productivity, and meet client demands
From firms using Intapp and Elite 3E to those seeking AI-powered productivity tools, understanding the future of legal tech is critical for strategic planning.
This article explores 11 emerging trends shaping legal technology, backed by the latest data, real-world examples, and insights relevant to legal and financial firms.
11 Trends Shaping the Future of Legal Tech
Let’s begin...
1. Integrated Legal and Financial Platforms
Leading firms are embracing platforms like Intapp and Elite 3E to unify practice management, financial operations, and compliance. This integration reduces manual processes and ensures data accuracy across engagements. For example, firms using Elite 3E report improved billing accuracy and faster financial reporting cycles.
A 2025 survey found that 59% of midsize law firms are very motivated to invest in technology in 2025 with 88% agreeing that technology can help improve client relationships.
2. Growing Adoption of AI-Enabled Workflow Automation
While avoiding jargon, AI tools in legal tech increasingly help automate routine document reviews, contract analysis, and client intake workflows. Statistics from Intapp’s 2025 survey reveal 72% of professionals now use AI-supported tools to reduce manual workload and improve turnaround time.
3. Enhanced Security and Risk Management Solutions
With growing cyber threats and regulatory complexities, legal firms are investing heavily in cybersecurity integrated within their legal tech stacks. Solutions that merge threat detection, audit trails, and compliance reporting are becoming standard. The Tabush Group 2024 Law Firm Survey reports that cybersecurity remains the top IT priority and highest ranked among technology problems for law firms.
4. Cloud Transformation and Hybrid Deployments
The move to cloud-based legal applications continues to accelerate, offering scalability and remote access critical to hybrid work models. The Aderant “Great Law Firm Cloud Migration” report shows 78% of law firms currently store client data in the cloud, and many plan to expand cloud usage further.
5. Data Analytics for Business Insights and Client Outcomes
Legal and financial firms increasingly turn to analytics within systems like Elite 3E and Intapp for actionable insights into profitability, resource allocation, and client trends. For example, 52.5% of law firms use profitability analysis to improve profits, and 41.5% say that analysis has led to significant improvement.
6. Expansion of Client-Centric Portals and Collaboration Tools
Client portals integrated with legal platforms streamline communication and document sharing. Firms enhancing client experience through digital engagement tools gain a competitive edge. Intapp Workspaces’ integration with Microsoft Teams transforms collaboration, helping legal teams work efficiently while maintaining security.
7. Increasing Focus on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Technology
8. Low-Code and No-Code Development Platforms
To build customized workflows faster, legal departments adopt low-code/no-code platforms embedded within their practice management tools. This democratization of app creation reduces dependence on IT teams and speeds up automation deployment.
9. Blockchain for Secure Transactions and Smart Contracts
Blockchain is increasingly explored for contract authentication, chain of custody, and payment processing. Several firms pilot smart contract workflows that reduce transaction time and enhance transparency.
10. Continued Convergence of Legal and Financial Technologies
Leading firms view legal and financial tech as a unified ecosystem rather than siloed tools. Integrations between Elite 3E and Intapp systems deliver end-to-end visibility– from client intake to billing and compliance, enabling better risk management and strategic decisions.
11. Sustainable and Responsible Technology Practices
Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) concerns encourage adoption of green cloud infrastructure, digital workflow optimization, and reduced paper usage. Technology choices increasingly reflect firms’ values and client expectations for sustainability.
Real-World Example
A prominent multinational legal firm recently implemented Intapp’s integrated ecosystem combining compliance, financial management, and client collaboration. This holistic approach reduced administrative overhead by 25%, improved billing cycle times by 30%, and strengthened client relationships through transparent engagement management.
Why It Matters to Your Firm?
Staying informed on these trends is no longer optional. Firms that invest in strategic legal tech achieve measurable growth, improved client service, and operational resilience. Delays in adopting these innovations risk falling behind competitors actively leveraging transformative tools.
Conclusion: Embracing the Future of Legal Technology
The legal industry’s evolution is guided by these transformative technology trends– integrated platforms, workflow automation, enhanced security, cloud adoption, and data-driven insights. Firms that embrace these innovations position themselves to deliver exceptional client service, optimize operational efficiency, and achieve competitive advantage.
To keep your Elite 3E system running smoothly and easily adapt to upgrades, Helm360 offers an Automated 3E Application Testing tool. This solution replaces weeks of manual testing with fast, one-click automated tests using a proven library of over 1,000 tailored scripts. It accelerates implementations and upgrades while ensuring continuous quality and risk control, giving your firm greater accuracy, efficiency, and peace of mind.
Ready to transform your 3E testing process and empower your legal operations?
Contact Helm360 today for a personalized demo and see the Automated 3E Testing tool in action.