ILTA and InsideLegal Release 2013 ILTA/InsideLegal Technology Purchasing Survey

Global News

20
Aug
2013

Editor

The International Legal Technology Association (ILTA), and InsideLegal, an insider’s guide to doing business in legal technology, today released the findings of the “2013 ILTA/InsideLegal Technology Purchasing Survey” (Survey). The Survey, expanded to include feedback from all ILTA member law firms, includes detailed technology budget data; updated information on firms’ social media and publication preferences; an in-depth look at tablet and mobile purchasing patterns; legal IT and Big Data trends, and expansive sections on current and future legal technology purchases.

Survey findings will be presented as part of ILTA/InsideLegal’s Vendor education program in conjunction with ILTA’s Annual Conference, taking place at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, August 18-22, 2013.

The 2013 survey marks the 8th edition of this ILTA/InsideLegal collaboration and for the first time included responses from ILTA member firms with 1-49 attorneys, in addition to the '50+ attorney’ respondents featured in previous years. The 2013 edition garnered an 18% response rate with 223 unique ILTA member firm responses.

“ILTA and InsideLegal have long collaborated on legal technology education focused on enhancing our value, not only at the annual conference, but throughout the year,” stated Peggy Wechsler, ILTA's Program Director. “The ILTA/InsideLegal Technology Purchasing Survey is a perfect example of how InsideLegal partners with us on giving back to the industry and provides additional benefits to our members. The feedback we receive from the broader legal community validates our decision to take on this project every year and distribute and share this free resource.”

2013 Survey highlights include:

• 48% of all respondents spend between 2-4% of total revenue on technology; 25% of those surveyed spend 5% or more.
• 76% of firms with 'under 50’ attorneys spend 4% or less on technology
• 60% of all 'under 50' respondents spend 'less than $8,000' per attorney on technology compared 26% of ‘50+ attorney’ firms.
• Top technology purchases among all surveyed firms in 2013 include desktop hardware (58%), laptops/notebooks (49%), storage area networks (48%), network/server upgrades (44%), and disaster recovery (33%).
• Based on all survey responses, internet research, peer recommendations and ILTA e-Groups are the top influences when it comes to legal IT purchasing decisions.
• While 63% of all '50+' firm respondents rely on feedback from peers/other law firms when making IT purchasing decisions, only 39% of 'under 50' firms indicated the same.
• 81% of respondents reported that they use outside technology consultants to assist with some aspect of firm operations, technology and infrastructure.
• 70% of all survey respondents outsource website design and related services, followed by printer repair/maintenance (60%).
• 16% of respondents indicated that Big Data would lead to more strategic use of data via predictive data modeling, data mining and more accessible data analytics.
• 59% of all respondents purchased Apple iPads, while 36% purchased competitive devices including Android products, Microsoft tablets, and Kindles. Last year, only 17% purchased 'non iPad' tablets.
• 47% of all '50+' firm respondents have a security policy specific to tablet devices vs. 15% of 'under 50' firms that have established one.
• 22% of respondents stated their firms have either developed their own apps, are in the process of doing so, or planning to develop them.

“InsideLegal has partnered with ILTA for over a decade on various industry programs and deliverables including the legal technology survey, now in its 8th year,” said JoAnna Forshee, CEO, InsideLegal. “We are continually astounded by the great data and participation we receive from ILTA members, and this year, even with the scope expansion, was no exception. The IT purchasing, budget and technology trend data just keeps getting richer, so we are keen to share these findings and analysis with the legal industry.”

The 39 question web-based survey was distributed to 1,232 law firms, ranging from 1 to 4,200 attorneys, and yielded 223 unique firm responses. 85% of all participating firms came from the U.S., 10% from Canada, and 5% from the U.K., the rest of Europe, South America and Australia.

The complete survey can be downloaded at www.InsideLegal.com. For more information on the survey results, methodology and other legal market research initiatives, contact Jobst Elster at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .