Low Tech Initiatives: The Smartest Tech Move You’ll Ever Make

The Big Idea: Liberation Through Definition

Let’s start with the GLS definition of legal technology:

“Anything that improves the unit of productivity per unit of lawyer effort.”

This definition is liberating. It blows up the myth that legal tech means expensive platforms, complex integrations, and multi-year projects. It means legal tech starts with what you already have - simple, practical initiatives that deliver measurable efficiency gains without big budgets or IT dependency.

When you adopt this lens, the legal tech universe expands dramatically. Suddenly, you see dozens of low-tech opportunities hiding in plain sight - initiatives you can implement tomorrow, safely, at little or no cost. And here’s the kicker: these low-tech wins aren’t just nice-to-have. They are the essential precursor activities for high-tech success.

Why Low Tech Is the Smart Tech

Legal tech transformation fails when teams leap straight into big-ticket implementations - CLMS platforms, AI analytics - without fixing the basics. Automating chaos doesn’t make it better; it makes it faster and more expensive.

Low-tech initiatives create a self-provisioning safety guardrail for your tech agenda. They:

◼️Build process discipline so automation works.

◼️Deliver quick wins that build confidence and cultural readiness.

◼️Give legal teams control over the tech agenda instead of waiting for IT or procurement.

◼️Demonstrate credibility to the business by showing progress without major spend.

This is an exciting perspective because it flips the script: transformation doesn’t start with tech - it starts with you.

Practical Examples: What You Can Do Tomorrow

Here’s how the GLS definition liberates your legal team:

◼️Template Libraries: Standardise your most-used contracts - NDAs, MSAs, employment agreements. No software required, just discipline.

◼️Playbooks: Document decision trees for recurring issues - contract clauses, compliance checks. These reduce bottlenecks instantly.

◼️Matter Intake Forms: Create a simple online form or even a structured email protocol for legal requests. Visibility improves overnight.

◼️Compliance Checklists: Build risk checklists for marketing approvals, vendor onboarding, or regulatory filings. Embed them in workflows.

◼️Self-Service FAQs: Publish answers to common queries - “Do I need legal for this?” - on your intranet.

◼️Basic Reporting: Use Excel or Google Sheets to track matters and deadlines. It’s not glamorous, but it works.

◼️Knowledge Hub: Centralise policies, templates, and guidance in one shared folder.

None of these require major tech investment. Most can be done with tools you already have - Word, Excel, SharePoint, Google Workspace. And every one of them improves productivity per lawyer hour.

The Strategic Payoff

Low-tech initiatives aren’t just tactical - they’re strategic. They:

◼️Prepare for automation: Standardised processes are automation-ready.

◼️Reduce risk: Compliance becomes embedded, not optional.

◼️Accelerate adoption: When high-tech comes, your team is ready.

◼️Control the agenda: Legal leads the roadmap, not IT.

◼️Show ROI early: Quick wins build credibility with the business.

Think of it as building the foundations before adding the penthouse. Without this groundwork, your high-tech ambitions will collapse under their own weight.

Why This Creates Control

One of the biggest frustrations for legal leaders is feeling powerless in tech projects. IT owns the architecture. Finance owns the budget. Procurement owns the process. Legal is often a passenger.

Low-tech initiatives flip that dynamic. They give you autonomy. They let you start now, without waiting for approvals or funding. They put you in control of the transformation narrative. And they prove - to IT, to finance, to the business - that legal can deliver efficiency gains on its own terms.

The Golden Rule: Offline Before Online

If it doesn’t work offline, it won’t work online. Automating chaos is a recipe for disaster. Low-tech initiatives force you to fix broken processes before digitising them. They make sure your tech investments don’t entrench inefficiency - they eliminate it.

Why This Is Exciting

Because it means transformation is no longer a distant dream. It’s something you can start today. No million-dollar budgets. No 18-month procurement cycles. No waiting for IT.

It means legal tech isn’t about complexity - it’s about clarity and control. It’s about using what you have to deliver what you need. And it’s about building a roadmap that works - not a shopping list that fails.

GLS Observations That Must Shape Your Thinking

◼️Legal tech = productivity: Anything that improves output per lawyer hour.

◼️Start small: Low-tech wins create readiness for high-tech success.

◼️Self-help matters: You can implement most initiatives yourself.

◼️Autonomy is power: Control the agenda, don’t wait for IT.

◼️Cost advantage: Many low-tech solutions are free or near-free.

◼️Credibility counts: Show progress without major spend.

◼️Offline first: Fix processes before digitising.

◼️Safe implementation: Low-risk changes that build confidence.

The Bottom Line

Low-tech initiatives aren’t the consolation prize - they’re the smartest tech move you’ll ever make. They deliver quick wins, build cultural readiness, and create the foundation for high-tech success.

They give you control. They cost almost nothing. They prove your value to the business. And they put you on the most efficient pathway to transformation.

Legal tech isn’t about complexity - it’s about productivity. Start with what you already have. Start now.