InsideLegal & ILTA Publish Results of the 2014 Technology Purchasing Survey

Global News

19
Aug
2014

Editor

Findings include IT budgets; technology spending & purchasing influences; big data, mobile/tablet purchase and security trends

 The International Legal Technology Association (ILTA), and InsideLegal, an insider’s guide to doing business in legal technology, today released the findings of the “2014 ILTA/InsideLegal Technology Purchasing Survey” (Survey).

The Survey, expanded in 2013 to include feedback from all ILTA member law firms, includes detailed technology budget data; updated information on firms’ social media and publication preferences; a look at tablet and mobile purchases and security plans; 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 the Gaylord Opryland in Nashville, August 17-21, 2014.

The 2014 survey, the 9th edition of this ILTA/InsideLegal collaboration, garnered a 20% response rate with 281 unique ILTA member firm responses. The 31 question web-based survey was distributed to 1,407 ILTA member law firms. 86% of all responses came from the U.S., 8% from Canada, and the remaining 6% a mix of the U.K., Europe, Australia and South America.

“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.”

2014 Survey highlights include:

• 54% of all respondents, including 72% of ‘Over50’ firms, spend 2-4% of total firm revenue on technology
• 62% of all responding firms spend more than $8,000 on technology per attorney; 61% of ‘Under50’ firms spend less than $8,000 on technology per attorney
• Top technology purchases among all surveyed firms in 2014 include: laptops/notebooks (64%), desktop hardware/PCs (63%), network upgrade/servers (50%), printers/multifunctional devices (47%) and antivirus/antispam/spyware software (41%)
• Over50 firms dominated purchases in several application areas including analytics software; docketing/calendaring; electronic discovery software; HR management software; mobile device management and workflow automation
• Based on survey responses, internet research, peer recommendations and consultants are the top influences for legal IT purchasing decisions
• 76% of survey respondents have not worked with an industry/research analyst
• Big data planning: 10% of all respondents are working on formalizing their big data strategy and an additional 6% already have a big data plan in place
• 90% of respondents rely on outside consultants to assist with some aspect of firm operations, technology and infrastructure
• 91% of surveyed firms’ attorneys use tablets as part of their day-to-day work
• 86% of survey respondents indicated that they either have a formal mobile device security policy in place or are establishing one
• Outside of the IT department, attorneys (80%) most frequently request technology purchases followed by Firm Administration (53%) and Practice/Litigation Support (31%)
• Top answers to the open-ended ‘most exciting technology or trend’ question included mobility (e.g., tablets, mobile device management); cloud services, specifically –as-a-Service models including analytics, disaster recovery, security, and DMS; virtualization; and wearable technologies. 

“InsideLegal has partnered with ILTA for over a decade on various industry programs and deliverables including the legal technology survey, now in its 9th year,” said JoAnna Forshee, CEO, InsideLegal. “We are continually astounded by the great data and participation we receive from ILTA members, and this year 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 complete survey can be downloaded here. 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. .