Slow Tech Adoption

Back in 1962, Everett Rodgers, then a young assistant professor at Ohio State, published Diffusion of Innovations. It became one of the most influential frameworks in social science and a foundation for how we understand adoption, whether it’s politics, consumer tech, or business processes. Rodgers grouped people and companies into five adoption types:

• Innovators – The true pioneers. They jump in early, accept risk, and often have the resources to absorb a few missteps in pursuit of big wins.
• Early Adopters – Cautious creatives. They can see benefits before most and often help determine whether something will take off.
• Early Majority – Once the benefits are proven, they’re all in (often thinking they were earlier than they were).
• Late Majority – Reluctant adopters. They only move once it’s safe, and that delay can cost them in competitive markets.
• Laggards – The very last to move. By the time they act, innovation has become standard, and the edge is gone.

Here’s the reality: no one can be an innovator in everything. There are too many variables like budgets, competing priorities, and the reality that not every “next big thing” pays off right away. But there’s always a sweet spot where the risk of falling behind outweighs the risk of moving too early.

For legal support restructuring, the data says that the sweet spot is here, if not already passing us by. By 2030, it may be too late to shift from a cost-center model to a tech-enabled value engine. Wait too long, and you risk being left in laggard territory.

The Data Is Clear: Danger Ahead

More than half (54%) of the 800 respondents in BigHand’s Legal Workflow Leadership Report 2025 expect 21%–50% of their support staff to retire in the next five years. Pair that with high attrition, and firms face a looming talent drain. One that could leave knowledge gaps, heavier workloads for those who remain, and ultimately, lawyers picking up the admin work themselves.

And that’s already happening, 31% of firms report attorneys are spending more time on administrative work in 2025, cutting into billable, revenue-generating hours.

Replacing those roles isn’t easy. Shifting career priorities, changing generational expectations, and a greater focus on work-life balance mean there aren’t enough candidates to do a one-for-one replacement over the long term.

Innovation Isn’t Just About Tech

These challenges aren’t new. The legal industry has seen the retirement wave coming for years, and most firms know they need to act.

The numbers show movement: over 90% of firms have restructured their support staff in the past year, with most moving to centralized, team-based models. Now that’s innovation, and we’re already past the early adopter stage. Only 7% say they have no plans to restructure.

But here’s the opportunity: once you’ve made one innovation, you open the door to many more. The same tech that enables centralization can also:

• Support better career development
• Open new career paths
• Match tasks more closely to skills

Restructuring shouldn’t just be about efficiency or utilization; it can also improve employee experience and retention. For the next generation of legal professionals, tech integration will be a decisive recruiting advantage.

The Cost of Waiting

The legal industry’s slow-and-steady approach won’t hold up forever. Client expectations keep rising with higher demands for proof of value.

If you’re too slow to adopt new tools or keep patching together outdated systems, you risk eroding both trust and reputation. Clients expect their legal teams to be on the front foot, using every tool available to deliver the best service.

Support staff may not always be the loudest voice in the firm, but with the right tech, they can become a valid driver of value, especially in a tightening market.

Leaders have a choice: step up and lead the change, or let disruption decide for you. Delay too long, and the cost will be talent lost, clients lost, and ground you’ll never quite make up.