Technical FAQs

Application development is incessantly growing and evolving. Developers are constantly looking to enhance the functionality and value of their offerings to keep their existing market share and acquire new customers.

Code can improve navigation and upgrade infrastructure to enhance performance. To keep developments up-to-speed, software engineers often rely on standards-based APIs and SDKs. They empower their end-users to utilize new features in an application, creating a more productive and efficient workflow.

Document management is a critical component of business workflow, and it adds important processes to data collection and review. The fewer mouse clicks and applications people have to utilize to get the job done, the more productive they can be.

Adding document management functionality into an application is easier than you think. What functionalities can you integrate with SDKs and APIs?

• Document and form creation or assembly
• Document capture or scanning, OCR, and conversion
• Document eSignatures and workflow management
• Document viewing, for when a native file viewer is not available
• Document markups such as redaction, watermarking, and annotation
• Collaboration, comparison, and viewing of documents
• Image management, conversion, and compression
• Document retention and discovery
• Mobile device rendering and barcode scanning

Using Document Management SDKs and APIs in Structured Data Applications

Whatever government business process an application serves, there are many associated document types. Take human capital management workflows, which incorporates onboarding, separation agreements, job applications, vacation request forms, and policy guides.

Procurement activities require RFP templates, master service agreements, purchase orders, and sole source document templates. State and local governments frequently use licensing application forms for liquor sales, business incorporation, and vehicle permits. Justice departments manage a broad range of electronic document workflow types and physical records such as family, real estate, and criminal law.

In addition to all of those forms that typically go through a manual paper process, you must also consider approvals. Electronic signatures are increasingly becoming accepted as legal forms of acknowledgment and approval. Plus, governments can streamline FOIA request resolutions by redacting documents before sending them or making them available on their website on a privileged or open and transparent basis to ensure accountability.

Government offices are increasingly leveraging their websites as constituent self-service channels. They offer online application forms for permits and provide access to public meeting minutes or government tenders.

These situations and many more call for a better way to manage documents, forms, and files. Application developers can easily implement digital document workflows using simple functionality integrations known as SDKs and APIs. When an application can optimize the end user experience with more productive tools, why wait? Government information workers can streamline document management processes with access to a document viewer that enables collaboration, redaction, annotation, and more.

Adding Document Lifecycle Management While Mitigating Risk

The use of open source tools to custom-build these functions into commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) applications can incur unexpected project delays. Not only for the SaaS company, but for their government customers. This delay to code out functionalities can cause many problems including:

• Training developers on a specific open source stack
• Time wasted building a functionality where supported APIs and SDKs already exist
• Mandatory requirements to meet regulatory standards such as government privacy and transparency FOIA, PIPEDA, 21 CFR Part 11, and HIPAA
• Technical requirements such as support for TWAIN or ISIS scanner drivers
• Uncertain roadmaps in terms of interoperability with your code

Many government organizations prefer solutions built on licensed applications. They need escrow agreements to protect their long-term investment and use of core applications like ERP, claims management case management, and healthcare information

Are you a product manager or lead developer looking to extend your feature set with document management functionality? Keep focused on your core application roadmap, and mitigate risks like functionality or compliance gaps with API modules which are QA tested, supported, and fully documented.

Government clients and prospects are often more motivated to try proven, pre-packaged solutions, and can’t justify buying promises of future functionality. Maintain your competitive posture by leveraging open APIs in your application stack. Learn more on www.accusoft.com.

Of the many eDiscovery trends we’re seeing in the Legal Tech world, one stands out as particularly crucial. The eDiscovery services market is exploding. The market is estimated to grow 8.7% annually, reaching more than $17B by 2027. 

The rapid growth of eDiscovery presents exciting opportunities for the Legal Tech world. However, for independent software vendors (ISVs) to capitalize on those opportunities, they must also stay vigilant about associated concerns such as the use of AI, data privacy, and effective document management.

Amidst the remarkable expansion of eDiscovery services, a host of trends have emerged that hold significant relevance for ISVs. Below, we outline key eDiscovery trends and offer tangible ways to navigate the landscape successfully.

Three eDiscovery Trends You Need to Know

#1: A Cautious Embrace of AI is Critical

One of the most prevalent eDiscovery trends is the need for cautious use of AI. It’s no secret that AI, or Legal AI, generative AI tools trained on legal processes, is revolutionizing eDiscovery. Law firms are already reaping the benefits, as 70% of large firms agree that generative AI adds value.

Legal AI makes teams more productive by automating rote tasks such as document review, memo drafting, and initial contract creation. For example, a recent study found that AI-powered due diligence document review can cut review time by up to 70% compared to traditional methods. 

What does this data tell us? That lawyers will be turning to Legal Tech ISV professionals to help them better use, scale, and mitigate the risks of AI.

As the eDiscovery market grows, more sophisticated use cases for Legal AI will be developed. For instance, a Legal AI tool could generate textual content, such as policies or communications, based on input examples. Additionally, a tool could assign a tag to a given input and help professionals create a searchable database of documents to streamline due diligence.

In other words, the possibilities of Legal AI are endless. However, generative AI tools, especially when used in highly regulated fields, must be implemented with caution. That’s where ISVs can bring unique value.

Risks of Legal AI that ISVs can Help Mitigate

• Tools that are available publicly have been trained on vast amounts of historical data, which could result in outputs that are outdated, biased, or irrelevant to your clients’ needs.
• The misuse of AI is common within and outside of organizations, which could result in “deep fake” images and videos, along with generated data that are hard to verify.
• Inputs that include personally identifiable information (PII) can be accidentally exposed to other users of the tool. That’s where Accusoft’s PII detection and redaction feature in PrizmDoc can be helpful.

These are just a few risks that accompany all of the benefits Legal AI tools offer. It’s critical to spend plenty of time experimenting with various tools to see which ones pose the least amount of risk and work best for your application. Part of a cautious embrace of AI also includes forming a team to research, test, and launch tools safely. That’s why 38% of American Law 200 firms are expected to hire more technologists to support generative AI initiatives.

Action Items: How to embrace eDiscovery AI tools cautiously in your application

• Offer AI readiness assessments or audits to help law firm clients evaluate their current readiness, infrastructure, and data readiness for AI implementation.
• Facilitate knowledge-sharing among your clients by organizing learning sessions. Given that 90% of law firms reported that they expect their investment in generative AI to rise in the next five years, it’s clear that legal teams are using AI successfully. Consider arranging sessions where firms that have successfully implemented AI can share best practices with less experienced organizations. 
• Explore partnering with a trusted eDiscovery document processing vendor such as Accusoft to integrate carefully vetted AI tools into your application. 

#2 Data Privacy Restrictions Must be Top of Mind

Any list of 2024 eDiscovery trends must include a concern about data privacy. This year and beyond, restrictions on data privacy and protecting PII will become more rigid. Awareness of protecting client data has grown globally. Additionally, excitement about AI can inadvertently overshadow the data privacy concerns that come with using tools that are publicly available.

Increased data privacy restrictions within firms will look like stricter data retention policies and increased use of software designed to help teams identify and redact PII. Firms will need to conduct thorough research on the data privacy policies of their partners, as well as the data privacy laws of the geographic areas in which they conduct business.

Action items: How to keep data privacy top of mind in your application:

• Strengthen your software’s data security by implementing robust encryption protocols and security measures. Provide options for end-to-end encryption, secure file sharing, and secure document storage to safeguard PII and maintain client confidentiality.
• Provide tools for compliance auditing, monitoring, and reporting to assist legal teams in demonstrating regulatory compliance to clients and regulatory authorities. Features such as access logs, audit trails, and user activity monitoring ensure accountability and transparency in data handling practices.
• Ensure continuous improvement and responsiveness within your applications to evolving client needs and how PII could be exposed or inadvertently changed. Establish regular feedback loops with clients to gather insights, identify pain points, and prioritize feature enhancements. 
• Review your organization’s data privacy policy. How does your software protect client data, PII, and more? Keep your clients updated on your policy so that they know data privacy is a top priority for you. 

#3 Better Management of Collaborative Platforms is Needed

Another one of the most important eDiscovery trends of 2024 is the need for better management of collaborative platforms. The adoption of collaborative platforms, such as Slack, WhatsApp, MS Teams, and others, has surged due to the shift to remote work.

The use of collaborative applications offers advantages and poses challenges. For example, they enable legal teams to capture valuable information from communications across many platforms that strengthen court cases. However, they also create extremely large volumes of legal documents and the potential of large amounts of duplicate content that teams then have to review.

Why is the concern about collaborative platforms so great? Because the number and use of these platforms is only growing. From now until 2032, the collaboration software market is projected to grow 12% annually. 

This has had profound effects on legal firms performing eDiscovery, most of whom still depend on tools and review processes designed for standard digital documents (such as .doc, .xlxs, .ppt, etc), paper documents, and email. The process of collecting, viewing, searching, redacting, and collaborating across traditional documents and emails has pivoted, and firms are responsible for including the digitized content from these collaborative working social platforms in their eDiscovery.

Action items: How to help law firms better access to files created in document collaboration tools

• Embed advanced search and filtering capabilities into your Legal Tech software that are specifically tailored to collaborative platform communications. This includes the ability to search for keywords, filter by date range or user, and apply metadata tags to organize and categorize communications effectively. These features enable lawyers to quickly locate relevant information during eDiscovery proceedings.
• Create tools in your application that supports the collecting, viewing, searching, redacting, and collaborating across traditional documents and emails, and also the digitized content from these collaborative working social platforms.
• Consider integrating PrizmDoc into your solution to seamlessly search, identify, and redact information directly within your application, ensuring top-notch document security.

Solutions Built to Help You Capitalize on eDiscovery Trends

We’ve only begun to see how the explosion of the eDiscovery services market poses opportunities and potential downfalls to the Legal Tech world. With the right safeguards in place, ISVs can capitalize on these opportunities to enhance their services, maintain competitiveness, and above all, foster client trust.

Wondering how can Accusoft support your team in keeping up with the eDiscovery trends of 2024? Read our Legal Tech Fact Sheet.

What’s new for legal technology in 2016? To start off the new year, we’ve researched the industry legal tech trends you should keep an eye on in the coming months.

Paperless Offices

Traditionally, the legal industry produces a vast amount of paperwork. Case files contain depositions and other documents that must be physically stored and referenced. In 2016, look for law offices to turn to paperless solutions for document management.

Why? For starters, storing physical documents is much more expensive than storing them electronically. Having digitized flies also makes it easier to quickly find the information you are looking for, rather than having to pour over boxes of old legacy documents. Electronic files are easier to share with clients/lawyers outside of the firm, and eDiscovery technology has made redaction of sensitive information a quick and secure way to process paperwork while keeping client information confidential. For all these reasons, law firms are looking to increase their use of digital document management.

While the switch to digital will likely stretch beyond 2016, there are some small steps law firms can take to reduce their physical paper needs and adopt a more digital office. Electronic billing, eDiscovery, and digitizing older files are all workable, affordable solutions you can put to use today to start working toward a paperless office.

Digital Communication

With an increasing focus on digital communications, law firms will be adapting to their customers’ needs in 2016. Busy lives and distance are making face-to-face client meetings more difficult. With video conferencing services like Skype, text messages, and email, law firms are able to reach their clients through more non-traditional channels. This push to web-based communications also allows law firms to increase their client base, focusing on cases that may typically have been outside of their area in previous years.

Technological advances in communication are also changing the way law firms share information with their clients. As discussed above, the push for digital document management will impact how firms review cases with clients. Instead of having a client physically visit an office to review or sign documents, firms can digitally share the document, have the client electronically annotate or sign, and then send back to the law firm. With many firms looking to cloud-based solutions for quick, easy, and inexpensive file sharing, you can expect to see a rise in the number of digital legal documents shared in 2016.

Data Management and Storage

An increase in digital communications like text messaging, email, and shared documents is going to produce a massive amount of digital data. Figuring out a way to sort through this data efficiently will be a major focus for firms in 2016. Digital archiving of files with metadata tags can make finding and referencing documents easier, and eDiscovery software is already used by many firms to automatically redact sensitive information.

What’s coming next? Some publications speculate that artificial intelligence will become an emerging technology in the legal field. Don’t worry; this doesn’t mean legions of robot lawyers arguing cases, but it does mean that some review processes have the potential to be greatly simplified by adaptive intelligence. Companies such as Kira Systems and LawGeex are already producing AI software to analyze contracts, saving lawyers time reviewing lengthy documents that could be better spent on clients.

These are just three of the top trends we identified for legal tech in 2016. Be sure to check our blog regularly for the latest in industry trends and technology. We’ll also be exhibiting at the upcoming LegalTech conference, which will be packed with insights and best practices from industry experts. If you’re attending, stop by our booth (#234)!