Aderant Momentum: Prioritizing Client Experience in Legal Technology

Contextual Overview of Aderant Momentum and Client Experience

The Aderant Momentum conference, held on 15 October in London, served as a pivotal event for legal technology professionals, showcasing the company’s commitment to enhancing client experience. Chris Cartrett, the president and CEO of Aderant, articulated the company’s strategic priorities, emphasizing the imperative of improving client interactions and operational efficiencies. With the notable transition of six law firms to Aderant Expert and an expanding workforce of 46 job openings, the company is positioning itself for significant growth in 2025.

Main Objective: Improving Client Experience

The primary goal delineated during the conference is to automate the entire work-to-cash cycle through the Aderant platform. By significantly reducing manual touchpoints, Aderant aims to enhance operational efficiency, thereby improving overall client satisfaction. Cartrett’s statement encapsulates this ambition: “Our goal is truly to automate the entire platform.” Achieving this goal involves the seamless integration of various applications such as Expert/Sierra, Onyx, iTimekeep, BillBlast, Milana, Handshake, and vi, which collectively facilitate practice management, compliance, time tracking, billing, docketing, knowledge management, and resource management.

Advantages of Enhanced Client Experience

• Increased Efficiency: By automating repetitive tasks, Aderant aims to eliminate inefficiencies that can hinder the billing process, thereby accelerating revenue realization.
• Integration of Advanced Technologies: The recent acquisition of Hercules AI is expected to enhance Aderant’s capabilities in automating time capture and compliance management, which can help legal professionals minimize delays and reduce write-offs.
• Cloud Solution Growth: A 234% increase in cloud-hosted solutions like Expert Sierra indicates a robust market acceptance, which suggests that legal firms prioritize modern, cloud-based technologies for improved operations.
• Client-Centric Organizational Structure: Aderant’s restructuring around client outcomes signifies a commitment to prioritizing client needs over internal departmental silos, fostering a more integrated service delivery.
• Enhanced Support for Integrations: Aderant’s focus on supporting customer integrations and APIs ensures that existing systems will not be disrupted, allowing firms to maintain operational continuity.

Caveats and Limitations

While the advancements in automation and AI integration offer numerous benefits, there are inherent challenges. Some clients have experienced billing issues, and Aderant has acknowledged these problems, demonstrating a commitment to transparency and improvement. The creation of a billing mind map to address these issues is a proactive step, but it underscores the complexities involved in managing sophisticated legal technology solutions.

Future Implications of AI Developments in Legal Technology

The integration of AI in legal technology is poised to revolutionize the industry. As Aderant continues to develop its AI capabilities, particularly with the enhancement of its AI assistant MADDI, legal professionals can expect more intuitive solutions that leverage natural language processing for reporting and data analysis. Such advancements will likely streamline workflows further, allowing attorneys to focus more on substantive legal work rather than administrative tasks. The potential for AI to enhance decision-making processes and predict outcomes will also reshape how legal services are delivered, making them more efficient and client-focused.