Conversations around legal technology have recently picked up pace in India. As a result of the pandemic, there has been an upward trend in technology budgets and interest in software that can increase efficiency and bottom lines of law firms and corporate legal departments. Now, the space is buzzing with chatter about tools and problem statements that go beyond video conferencing and workflow collaboration.
The Survey of Indian Technology (SILT) 2023 is an undertaking that aims to deepen these conversations. A joint initiative of talent search and strategic consulting firm Vahura, new law company Counselect, and legal tech and innovation platform Walchet, SILT aims to put together a comprehensive state-of-play on legal tech in India.
Beyond that, the survey hopes to capture pain points for legal professionals by incorporating insights from respondents in both operational and managerial roles. The survey also aims to paint a picture of the opportunities for technology deployment in the legal landscape, especially in the areas of dispute management, contract analysis and compliance obligations.
“Technology is significantly impacting the way lawyers work, and lawyers who master the use of tech will be better equipped to scale and grow their practice. With the buzz around Chat GPT (Gen AI) and other tools, lawyers are exploring how to do more with less. The survey will provide insights into the present landscape as well as explore future trends," said Priyadarshini Shetty, founder of Walchet.
SILT has issued an open call for participation to the diverse stakeholders in India’s legal domain. The organisers are especially keen to hear about best practices, technology budgets, and challenges in adoption. SILT also wants to hear about success stories: technologies that have moved the needle on efficiency for their users. Data and insights about user experience and technology implementation will be welcome. All these findings will culminate in a report, which will be widely distributed within the legal industry and among technology companies.
“The SILT survey is a step towards bridging the knowledge divide and fostering innovation in legal technology in India. I know that many of us have a view on how tech can be leveraged to add value to the efforts of legal teams. We want to learn from, and build on, that kind of insight,” said Balanand Menon, Partner and Head of Consulting at Vahura.