Solve the Right Problem: A Simple Framework for Modernizing Your Law Firm

July 31, 2025

In today’s rapidly evolving legal landscape, law firm leaders are under constant pressure to modernize their practices. From improving client service to increasing profitability, the drive to evolve never really stops. And while legal tech vendors offer no shortage of tools and promises, the real challenge isn’t finding a solution; it’s identifying the right one.

Instead of being overwhelmed by options, law firms need a clear, focused strategy to drive change. That starts with falling in love, not with a new tool, but with the problem you’re trying to solve. Once you lock in on the real issue holding your firm back, the path to impactful innovation becomes much easier to navigate.

Why Firms Get Stuck

Law firm leaders are bombarded with pitches and promotions. Every webinar, inbox message, or legal tech conference showcases new ways to streamline operations or scale faster. While these tools can be incredibly useful, jumping straight into solutions often leads to wasted resources and low adoption.

Most failed tech adoptions don’t happen because the product was bad. They happen because the problem wasn’t clearly defined. Without a clear understanding of what you’re solving, even the most powerful tools can become expensive distractions.

Step 1: Name the Problem

Before evaluating any solution, digital or otherwise, you need clarity on what you’re solving. This doesn’t mean identifying vague issues like “we need to be more efficient.” You need to drill down.

Here’s a simple exercise to get started:

Take 30 minutes with your team (or yourself, if you’re a solo practitioner).
List every frustrating part of your workflow using sticky notes or digital tools like a virtual whiteboard.
Be specific: “Too much time spent redrafting contracts,” “Documents rejected by courts due to formatting errors,” or “Clients complain about slow response time.”

Once you’ve built out your list, you’ll likely start seeing patterns. These pain points are where transformation begins.

Step 2: Prioritize with Purpose

Not every problem deserves your attention right away. To avoid burnout and wasted energy, rank the problems you’ve listed using a simple set of criteria:

Client impact: Will solving this issue improve client satisfaction?
Revenue potential: Can addressing this problem help you earn more?
Urgency: Is the issue causing current disruptions or compliance risks?
Frequency: How often does this problem occur?

You can involve your team by letting them vote on what bothers them most or where they see the greatest opportunities. Once you sort through the feedback, move the most impactful problems to the top.

Your goal is to find one clear priority, a single challenge that, if resolved, would make a real difference.

Step 3: Focus on One Problem

Now that you’ve found the most pressing problem, resist the temptation to expand your scope. Instead, go deep.

Start brainstorming potential solutions to this one challenge:

What are the current workarounds?
Are there low-tech fixes or process changes that could help?
Would automating the workflow solve it?
What would an ideal outcome look like?

Once again, use sticky notes or a digital tool to list every potential solution, no matter how small or large. Think creatively, this is your moment to think outside the constraints of “how we’ve always done it.”

Step 4: Evaluate Your Solutions

Not all solutions are created equal. Use another round of prioritization to identify what’s realistic and what will deliver the most value. Consider these factors:

Cost: Can you implement the solution within budget?
Speed: How quickly can it be rolled out?
Impact: Will the solution eliminate the problem or just mask it?
Ease of adoption: Will your team actually use it?

By scoring your options, one solution will rise to the top. That’s your target, your actionable next step.

For example, if your core issue is document errors and inefficiency in drafting, document automation with a platform like Liradocs could emerge as the strongest, most efficient solution.

Step 5: Commit to Implementation

Identifying a solution is only half the journey. Execution is where transformation actually happens.

Assign a clear owner, someone who will be responsible for implementation. This could be a legal assistant, paralegal, associate, or even you. Their role is to liaise with vendors, lead internal rollout, and track success.

To increase adoption:

Choose a super-user who can champion the tool internally.
Schedule training sessions with the vendor (most companies, including Liradocs, offer onboarding support).
Set a realistic deadline and timeline for adoption.
Monitor the impact regularly.

A Real-World Example

Let’s say you run a busy family law practice. You’re drowning in administrative work, and document errors are causing delays and client dissatisfaction.

Using the above framework, here’s how your process might look:

Problem Identification:

Clients fail to send documents on time.
Filings are rejected due to formatting mistakes.
Flat-fee billing doesn’t cover the time spent fixing errors.
You’re using “find and replace” in Word to build documents.

Prioritized Problem:

Document accuracy and quality control is your top issue.

Solution Brainstorm:

Hire a contract attorney to review documents
Purchase a library of pre-made templates
Assign a paralegal to handle formatting
Automate document drafting with Liradocs

Chosen Solution:

Document automation is low-cost, scalable, and lets you stay in control while improving accuracy.

Implementation:

Assign your operations manager to manage Liradocs onboarding
Schedule team training sessions
Test with a few cases first, then expand across the practice

By staying focused on one issue and executing a solution that fits your firm’s real needs, you’ve created tangible improvement, not just added another tool to your tech stack.

Keep the Momentum Going

The hardest part of adopting legal tech is not the initial decision; it’s maintaining momentum. Here’s how to stay on track:

Document your wins: Measure how much time or money you’ve saved. Share this with your team.
Check in regularly: Don’t let new tools fade into the background. Make follow-ups part of your team meetings.
Anchor to the original problem: Keep the original sticky note somewhere visible as a reminder of why you made the change.

When the benefits are visible and aligned with your team’s pain points, you’re much more likely to get buy-in and long-term adoption.

One Problem at a Time

Improving your law firm doesn’t require a massive digital transformation overnight. All it takes is a systematic, problem-first approach.

When you identify real pain points and commit to solving them thoughtfully, you not only improve internal operations, you build a stronger, more client-centered practice.

Whether you’re looking to reduce errors, save time, or improve collaboration, Liradocs can help your firm move forward, one problem at a time.

Start Solving Today

Book a demo today and explore how our legal automation tools are built to solve the problems law firms face every day. Discover how Liradocs can streamline your document workflows and reduce costly errors.