This afternoon, in conjunction with our annual International Legal Technology Association (ILTA) vendor education program, we presented the findings of the 8th annual ILTA/InsideLegal Technology Purchasing Survey. The 2013 Survey includes detailed technology budget data; updated
information on firms’ social media and publication preferences; an in-depth look
at tablet and mobile purchasing patterns; legal IT and Big Data trends, and
expansive sections on current and future legal technology purchases. 

The 2013 edition garnered an 18% response rate with 223 unique ILTA member firm responding. ILTA law firms with 1-49 attorneys were included this year in addition to the 50+ attorney firms featured in previous years. The survey report includes some breakdown by firm size, but we will be offering an additional series including the breakdown of each question by firm size in the upcoming weeks on InsideLegal.com.

2013 Survey highlights include:

• 48% of all respondents spend between 2-4% of total
  revenue on technology; 25% of those surveyed spend 5% or more.
• 76% of firms with 'under 50’ attorneys spend 4% or less
  on technology.
• 60% of all 'under 50' respondents spend 'less than
  $8,000' per attorney on technology compared 26% of ‘50+ attorney’ firms.
• Top technology purchases among all surveyed firms in 2013
  include desktop hardware (58%), laptops/notebooks (49%), storage area networks
  (48%), network/server upgrades (44%), and disaster recovery (33%).
• Based on all survey responses, internet research, peer
  recommendations and ILTA e-Groups are the top influences when it comes to legal
  IT purchasing decisions.
• While 63% of all '50+' firm respondents rely on feedback
  from peers/other law firms when making IT purchasing decisions, only 39% of
  'under 50' firms indicated the same.
• 81% of respondents reported that they use outside
  technology consultants to assist with some aspect of firm operations,
  technology and infrastructure.
• 70% of all survey respondents outsource website design
  and related services, followed by printer repair/maintenance (60%).
• 16% of respondents indicated that Big Data would lead to
  more strategic use of data via predictive data modeling, data mining and more
  accessible data analytics.
• 59% of all respondents purchased Apple iPads, while 36%
  purchased competitive devices including Android products, Microsoft tablets,
  and Kindles. Last year, only 17% purchased 'non iPad' tablets.
• 47% of all '50+' firm respondents have a security policy
  specific to tablet devices vs. 15% of 'under 50' firms that have established
  one.
• 22% of respondents stated their firms have either
  developed their own apps, are in the process of doing so, or planning to
  develop them.

The 39 question web-based survey was distributed to approximately 1,232 law firms, ranging from 1 to 4,200 attorneys, and yielded 223 unique firm responses. 85% of all participating firms came from the
U.S., 10% from Canada, and 5% from the U.K., the rest of Europe, South America
and Australia. 

The complete survey can be downloaded here. For more information on the survey results, methodology and other legal market research initiatives, contact Jobst Elster.