How to choose the right legal tech software for your practice in Ireland and the UK
Legal tech software can transform how practitioners manage cases, access up-to-date legal information, and serve clients more efficiently. By streamlining workflows, reducing errors, and freeing up time for strategic legal work, the right platform becomes essential. But with so many options available, how do you select the one that truly fits your practice?
This guide will walk you through when you might need legal tech software, the benefits it can provide, the key features to look for, and the service level to expect.
1. Do you need legal tech software for your practice?
Today’s legal practitioners face constant pressure to deliver accurate work quickly, with tighter deadlines, growing caseloads, and increasingly complex regulations. Time lost in repetitive administration, fragmented research across multiple sources, or manual court date tracking can drain productivity and reduce billable hours.
If you recognise any of the challenges below, it may be time to explore a legal tech solution:
- You’re having difficulty finding reliable legal information quickly, or struggling with slow, fragmented research across multiple sources.
- There’s a heavy administrative workload in managing your cases, with too much time spent on data entry, document management, and client updates.
- You’re having trouble tracking court dates and deadlines, creating the risk of missed appearances or filings.
- You feel like you’re spending too much time on inefficient legal research, wasting time on manual, repetitive tasks.
2. Top benefits of adopting legal tech software
The top benefits of adopting legal tech software include:
- Faster and more accurate legal research with centralised, searchable databases of judgments and legislation.
- Automated case and court date management to reduce admin and save time.
- Centralised legal calendars to track all court dates and deadlines in one place, with automated reminders to avoid missed filings or hearings.
- Lower operational costs through streamlined processes, analytics, and automation.
These advantages make legal technology valuable for a broad range of legal practitioners, including solicitors, planning consultants, barristers, legal librarians, litigation practitioners, and employment law specialists. Whether you work independently or as part of a larger firm, the right platform can help you work smarter, respond faster, and deliver better results for your clients.
3. Must-have features of legal tech software
Comprehensive legal tech software should provide access to up-to-date legal information, support efficient document organisation, and enable seamless deadline tracking.
Key features to look for:
Searchable legal databases
Access to case law and legislation across multiple jurisdictions is essential. A good platform will combine these resources in a single searchable database, with filters by citation, court, keyword, or reference. This allows you to locate relevant information quickly and accurately, without switching between multiple websites or systems.
Court date tracking
Centralised calendars of upcoming court dates and deadlines give you a clear overview of your legal schedule. Automated reminders help to reduce the risk of missed appearances or filings, ensuring important dates are never overlooked.
Case management tools
Integrated case management features allow you to monitor case progress, track key milestones, and store case-specific details in one place. Real-time or email notifications about relevant legal updates help you stay informed of important developments and respond more promptly.
Document management systems
Good legal tech software will allow you to save, tag, and organise key legal documents for quick retrieval. Advanced filtering options make it easier to locate files, streamline research, and maintain an organised digital library.
Centralised planning applications databases
With legal materials like planning applications scattered across multiple websites, Vizlegal uniquely consolidates all Irish planning applications and rulings in one place, with integrated access to planning locations via Google Maps.
Analytics dashboards
Data on the activities of courts, judges, and law firms can support strategic planning. Vizlegal provides insights into court activities and case histories, helping practitioners anticipate outcomes and plan strategy.
AI-powered document summaries
Legal AI is a rapidly evolving field aimed at improving efficiency and accuracy. Vizlegal applies AI to generate concise summaries of rulings, highlighting key points for faster review.
4. Service level: What to expect from a legal tech company
When investing in legal tech software, look for a provider that offers:
- Comprehensive, up-to-date case coverage: Vizlegal offers 4.7M+ decisions from Irish and UK judicial bodies, including exclusive access to Irish planning applications.
- Fast performance and minimal downtime: Smooth, responsive software avoids delays, helping you maintain productivity and meet tight deadlines.
- Responsive customer support: Quick, knowledgeable assistance, recognised by awards such as BIALL Supplier of the Year 2023.
- Seamless integration with existing tools: Compatibility with your current systems allows you to adopt new features without disrupting established workflows.
Conclusion: Making the right choice
The best legal tech software will combine the right features and services to meet your practice’s needs. Vizlegal helps practitioners achieve this with unique coverage of Irish and UK judgments, automated court calendars, and real-time alerts.
One of the most effective ways to decide if a platform is the right fit is to see it in action. Book a live demo with Vizlegal to explore features, ask questions in real time, and see how it integrates into your workflow.
By prioritising reliability, efficiency, and seamless integration, Vizlegal helps streamline operations and empowers practitioners to deliver better outcomes for their clients.