This year will see a significant change in the supply of legal services to domestic and SME business. I’ll make a prediction here that I’ll review this time in 2011. There will emerge two types of solicitors firms by the end of the year: those that have fully adopted IT systems for service delivery and those that have not.This is not a new idea – the precursors have been around for some years. What I’m saying is that 2010 will be the year that solicitors see the implementation of this approach in a way that changes how clients access legal services. There’s going to be a lot of time, effort and money put into a promotional surge in an attempt to gain a return on the investment from adopting this approach. So the profession will see the change first.

But there may be a problem on the demand side of the market equation (that old balance of supply and demand). Is the domestic and SME market ready to embrace new supply, really new ways of delivering legal services? The potential market for legal services is often pegged at approximately £10bn, but this market may be confused or reluctant to use or trust a new approach to accessing legal services.

I’m now thinking specifically of a new offering I hear is in the offing that is a major departure from the consumer’s general perception of solicitors, that being: office-based and charging by the hour. We know this view can and is changing further – I suggest 2010 will see that shift in perception accelerate.

If the consumers do adopt this new approach, then what of those firms that have not adopted the IT delivery systems? I would suggest they will have a tough fight to retain their clients.

What to do? Not surprisingly I would suggest that marketing management can provide the answers. Whichever side of the IT divide you find your firm on, you must develop a clear set of benefits that clients understand and can easily access. Whether you use IT and web delivery, or just telephone, email and the post is not so important. These are all tools for capturing clients’ needs. What does matter is that the clients you choose to serve know how easy it is to contact you and get a solution to their problem.

While this year the profession may be troubled by another IT debate, it will be the focus on servicing clients’ needs that will be the mark of success in 2010. Here’s to an exciting new decade.