It's just the way we do business now, communicating with clients through e-mail or a dedicated Web link. It's not just speed. A virtual shared work space eases clients' fears and helps them trust the lawyers more. But the bottom line is often money. Adding more productivity to a billable hour makes clients happy.
Attorneys work by the hour.
They're extremely time pressed. Lawyers work quite a bit, and they don't want to be chained to the file cabinet in the office. The issue is not without internal politics. Tech-savvy recent law school grads deal with some frustration as they start working in firms with systems they may consider antiquated after their law school experiences. If they use an Internet-based system to allow young lawyers to handle more cases, there's more time engaged in the actual practice of law.