AI-powered legal tech is poised to revolutionize the industry in 2025, offering significant benefits to law firms and patent professionals alike.
Here are five resolutions that could make for a brighter New Year in your practice.
Building your book of business means more work on your already overworked support staff. A study by recruitment agency Realm Recruit found that two-thirds of legal professionals have experienced burnout, and according to a GWI report, burned-out workers are ultimately 25% more likely to leave their positions.
Workflow automation can take over some of the repetitive, menial tasks, like office action response or IDS preparation, that usually fall to support staff. This creates space for support staff to branch out and focus on more fulfilling work that aligns with their skills and interests, therefore relieving dissatisfaction and burnout.
If your firm does experience staff turnover, WFA solutions make handing off work easier, allowing you to spend less time training and onboarding.
Patent prosecution is expensive and complex. Often, each individual practitioner has a unique approach to reaching that all-important NOA. However, inconsistent manual practices and reliance solely on past experience can lead to inflated costs.
Standardizing your approach across attorneys or outside counsel can take the guesswork out of dealing with high-cost prosecution. Using patent analytics to set benchmarks, you can establish consistent policies to identify outlier applications and determine the best approach to regain control.
Once you have a data-backed strategy in place, workflow automation can move your staff back to billable work.
Are you manually reviewing patent data when you could be using AI-backed software to identify USPTO trends, assess at-risk clients, or inform strategic business decisions? With patent analytics at your fingertips, your business development team can demonstrate your firm’s success in these technology areas, growing your business and strengthening your client base.
Outside of your existing clients, resolve to grow your business in a targeted manner. Competitive intelligence can hone in on companies that align with your firm's area of expertise and show how you excel over your competitors.
With patent analytics, you can use your firm's performance metrics to identify which technology area you excel in. Armed with this knowledge, you can specifically target marketing efforts toward companies operating (and underperforming) in those areas. You may even discover a new business opportunity you'd have otherwise overlooked!
In an analysis of OA responses, we found that 11.5% contained at least one claim language error made by the firm. Compared to Juristat-prepared responses in the same time period, the error rate was less than 0.5%. Implementing workflow automation solutions can minimize the risk of mistakes made through human error and therefore reduce the time and energy previously spent reviewing and correcting these mistakes.
For example, tedious yet essential tasks like preparing OA responses and IDSs can consume substantial time and energy. Juristat OAR automates the initial hour of OA preparation, handling everything from gathering prior art to generating client letters and templates, freeing patent professionals to focus on higher-value tasks. Similarly, Juristat IDS automates the creation of ready-to-file IDS documents by analyzing patent family trees and prior art citations, reducing the risk of errors and easing the burden on your team. By embracing automation, firms can mitigate the effects of workplace burnout, handle seasonal fluctuations more effectively, and deliver timely, strategic responses—setting a new standard for patent quality and efficiency.
When adopting new legal technology, taking a strategic and thoughtful approach ensures a smooth integration and maximizes the value these tools bring to your practice. Start by assessing your firm’s needs to identify specific areas where a new program can add value, such as patent search, due diligence, or litigation support. Once you understand your priorities, thoroughly research available AI tools and platforms to find solutions that align with your firm’s goals and budget.
To ensure successful implementation, provide comprehensive training to your team so they can effectively use the new tools and integrate them seamlessly into their workflows. Start small with a pilot project to test the tool’s capabilities and evaluate its impact on productivity and efficiency. Finally, embrace a mindset of continuous learning to stay informed about advancements in AI and legal tech, allowing your firm to adapt and thrive in an evolving landscape. Thoughtful planning and deliberate action can help your firm unlock the full potential of AI-powered legal solutions.
By embracing cutting-edge legal tech, patent professionals can streamline operations, improve decision-making, and deliver exceptional value to their clients. Are you resolved to improve your outcomes in 2025? See how Juristat can help you fulfill your goals.