The Small Practitioner: The Tech Stack: Building a competitive advantage in a crowded marketplace

By Brenda Keith

The way attorneys and law firms practice law has changed much in recent years, and one significant ongoing change is the rise of the independent lawyer. Many attorneys today are opting to practice at smaller “boutique” firms or opening their own practices. In fact, nearly one in three lawyers (31 percent) who left firms in 2022 started their own practice, according to a 2024 study, Legal Trends for Solo and Small Law Firms, by case management software maker Clio.

This significant migration toward independent practice continues to shape the legal profession. Small practitioners are discovering they can offer more personalized service, build deeper client relationships, and maintain greater flexibility. And this trend reflects more than career preference; it signals a fundamental shift in how legal services are delivered and consumed.

However, success in today’s competitive legal marketplace requires more than legal expertise. Without the deep bench and expansive resources that large firms can offer, solo practitioners and small firms must strategically use technology to bridge the competitive gap.

A growing movement

Small practices dominate the legal landscape, with firms of fewer than 6 attorneys comprising more than 75 percent of all law firms, according to the 2023 Thomson Reuters State of U.S. Small Law Firms report. This growth isn’t occurring in a vacuum – fundamental shifts in client expectations, technology accessibility, and the economics of legal practice are driving it.

Solo practitioners consistently report higher levels of client satisfaction and deeper professional relationships. This advantage stems from their ability to provide personalized attention and adapt quickly to client needs without navigating complex institutional structures.

Despite their growing numbers and client satisfaction advantages, solo and small practitioners face a significant technological disadvantage: The ability to harness the benefits of enterprise-level legal practice software and solutions.

The technology gap: A critical challenge

Technology can shape the way small firms practice law, from trial presentation tools to comprehensive case management systems. AI-enabled solutions on the market today can help attorneys take and manage depositions, review thousands of pages of documents in just a few minutes, and support complex litigation needs.

In fact, the market for legal practice management software continues to grow substantially, from $2.06 billion in 2024 to $4.81 billion by 2030, according to projections in the Legal Practice Management Software Market report. While this growth indicates robust demand, it also reflects the increasing cost for attorneys who hope to remain competitive technologically.

Too often, solo and small firms feel like this sophisticated software is out of their reach. They think it is too expensive or would be too challenging to learn or too complicated to use effectively. This technology gap can severely impact a solo practitioner’s ability to handle complex cases or compete for sophisticated clients.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. Solo and small firm attorneys can access enterprise-level capabilities without shouldering enterprise-level costs.

Essential components of a competitive tech stack

• Client communication and service delivery: Today’s clients expect seamless communication, transparent billing, and regular case updates. Solo attorneys and small practices must invest in client portals, secure messaging systems, and automated reporting tools to meet these expectations while still maintaining the personal touch that differentiates them from larger firms.
• Document management and security: With regulatory requirements and cybersecurity threats, solo attorneys and small firms need enterprise-grade document management and security solutions. However, these systems must be simple enough to implement and maintain without a dedicated IT staff.
• Practice management software: Successful small practices require comprehensive practice management software that integrates case management, time tracking, billing, and client communication. Cloud-based solutions have become essential, enabling lawyers to work from wherever they are. They also ensure data security without significant IT infrastructure investment.
• Litigation support services: This is where the technology gap becomes most problematic for small practitioners and where AI is starting to level the playing field. Complex litigation benefits from specialized tools for document review, case analysis, and presentation preparation. Traditional solutions often price out smaller practices or require a level of technical expertise that small firms may not be able to maintain in-house.

The right tech support can level up small practice capabilities

AI-enabled legal services solutions are revolutionizing practice for solo practitioners and small firms, allowing them to scale up their bandwidth and broaden their expertise without having to increase overhead costs. Sophisticated legal tech solutions enable small firms to take on more and larger cases with less burnout while also avoiding the added cost of having to hire temporary or contract help. Solutions now on the market offer a wide range of time-saving help, including:

• Deposition support: A full range of deposition-related services, including court reporting, videography, real-time transcription, and secure online repositories, provide significant cost and time savings for attorneys.
• Deposition analysis: User-friendly AI-powered tools leverage the latest advancements in natural language processing and machine learning to streamline analysis and summarization of deposition transcripts. Attorneys can quickly identify key testimony, pinpoint contradictions, and build stronger cases within minutes, instead of days or weeks of labor-intensive manual review.
• Records review and analysis: Medical records often contain unstructured data such as images or handwritten documents. AI-enabled tools use natural language processing to analyze medical documents and extract relevant information into a user-friendly medical chronology report. The complete medical history is summarized within a few pages with information displayed chronologically, allowing the user to search and filter the information by medical condition, date, body system, and more.
• Trial support: Comprehensive trial services can reduce the burden on litigation teams and improve case outcomes. For jury and bench trials as well as arbitrations, these services ease the stress and challenges of trial preparation and presentation, enabling litigation teams to concentrate on crafting strategy and gaining a competitive edge. From professional presentation services to exhibit management and in-courtroom tech support, no solo attorney needs to go to trial alone.

All of these tech solutions are designed to help attorneys work smarter and more efficiently, empowering them to take on new clients and big cases. With this powerful technology on their side, solo and small firm attorneys are equipped to bid competitively on complex cases while maintaining healthy profit margins. In many instances, having a fully realized technology stack can mean the difference for a small firm between handling large cases in-house or referring them to larger firms.

Key benefits

• Enhanced case acceptance: Accept complex cases that would previously require referral to larger firms, maintaining client relationships while expanding revenue.
• Professional credibility: Present as a full-service litigation practice with sophisticated capabilities that match large firm expectations.
• Resource efficiency: Access world-class capabilities when needed without capital investment in rarely used technology.
• Strategic focus: Concentrate on legal strategy and client relationships while outsourcing complex support tasks.
• Scalable growth: Expand capabilities as practice grows without infrastructure investment or staff hiring.

The competitive future

As the practice of law continues to change, the growth in the number of solo attorneys and small firms is likely to continue. Smaller firms can give personal attention to clients, and, with the help of AI-enabled tech innovations, they also can deliver exceptional, efficient, tech-savvy legal counsel. This hybrid approach empowers lawyers to exceed client expectations and deliver outstanding results, increasing the amount of time they actually spend practicing law.

By strategically building a technology stack that works for their practice, solo practitioners can carve out their own distinct space, focusing less on administrative work and more on case and client success.

 

 

Brenda Keith, Chief Marketing Officer at Lexitas, is a seasoned marketing and sales leader with a proven history of driving revenue growth and transforming business outcomes. With expertise in brand strategy, digital marketing, and sales enablement, she has built high-performing teams and implemented data-driven programs to enhance client experience and operational efficiency. Brenda’s leadership has solidified Lexitas’ position as a leading provider of legal support services. She can be reached at [email protected]., linkedin.com/in/brendakeith