In the past few years, SaaS has been closing gaps within the legal industry, easing the busy-work burden on court systems, firms, attorneys, and clients. From cloud-based documentation systems to workflow automation, tech adoption has become the key to organizing information and meeting hard deadlines.
While the legal industry has been known to adopt new processes slowly and cautiously, legal practice management software has quickly become a necessary tool for firms to remain competitive. It’s no longer a nice-to-have; it’s the foundation of a successful practice.
In the past decade, law firms have shifted from slogging through bulky manual processes to fully adopting AI tools. Trust in technology is solid, and it’s growing.
%
of attorneys use cloud computing software as of 2024
Source: ABA
%
of firms have transitioned to SaaS solutions
Source: ABA
Non-Billable Busywork is Being Taken Over by Automated Workflows
If there’s one sentiment that unites attorneys across the board, it’s the need to eliminate busy-work and pass off any task that’s non-billable. They want their limited time to make maximum impact, providing better support for more clients.
Most common processes and tasks law firms delegate to legal practice management software include:
Case Management
Document portals and client messaging
Time Capture
Recording and monetizing billable hours
Document Storage
Protected, easily searchable databases
Research & AI
Estimating resources needed for incoming work and predicting revenue
Banking & Financials
Automated billing and payment portals
Because of the high percentage of vertical SaaS implementation, automated billing and payment processing has become a natural, expected feature for attorneys and clients within case management workflows.
Law firms find that allowing online payments makes bill collection 2x faster, and that more than 80% of clients prefer online billing (Lexology). With popular platforms like Clio, payments are embedded into the workflow, simplifying the process for clients and their legal counsel.
Embedded payments are perhaps the most widely known and used form of embedded fintech, so it’s not surprising that the legal industry has adopted this time saving tech.
%
of firms have integrated automated tools for billing, according to the Gartner Hype Cycle in its 2024 study of 100 law firms
Source: Gitnux
What’s more surprising is the overwhelming percentage of firms and practices integrating AI into their workflows.
Despite the fact that, just a few years ago, nearly half of respondents to a Thomson Reuters survey were concerned about the potential drawbacks of using AI (ABA), the adoption rate has soared, and for good reason.
AI cuts busywork by scanning and summarizing documents, powering legal research, drafting, and many other repetitive tasks. Nearly 80% of legal professionals use AI as of late 2025 (2civility), even surpassing the AI adoption rates of other industries.
AI May Not Be the Final Puzzle Piece for the Increasing Revenue
The growing integration of LPMS, cloud computing, and AI show the legal industry is fighting to stay on the cutting edge. But there’s one piece of the puzzle that remains disjointed, sitting awkwardly outside of LPM software and causing a frustrating user experience for clients: court-ordered surety bonds.
Online payments lay a solid foundation of embedded fintech in LPMS. What if a surety bond purchasing options were embedded into that same workflow?
The existing process for surety bond purchase is disjointed and manual. Courts order bonds, which clients must secure for themselves at the advice of their attorneys. Missing information or insufficient coverage can cause courts to deny bond purchases, which can further delay an already lengthy process.
Embedded surety bonds could streamline yet another inconvenient bottleneck within LMP software by:
Additionally, embedding surety bonds within LPMS could grow revenue effortlessly. By participating in a revenue sharing model, platforms would earn a percentage of each bond sold directly within their workflow. With bond purchases required in a variety of scenarios, built-in bond options would mean predictable, repeatable revenue for these platforms.
Embedded surety bond options could also increase revenue by creating a distinct differentiator. This unique offering would draw firms, especially small to medium-sized practices, in turn increasing the number of clients they’re able to handle. As platforms and their client firms grow in size, revenue grows effortlessly.
From probate and guardianship bonds to civil litigation and appeal bonds, embedding surety bonds could be the next step toward growth for embedded fintech in legal software.