The Brady Brief
Monthly Industry Trends & Insights from Colligo CEO Tim Brady
We recently had the opportunity to host a group of legal industry leaders in Toronto, including representatives from several large law firms. The discussions reinforced a trend we’ve been seeing across the market: firms are increasingly modernizing their document and information management strategies around Microsoft 365, SharePoint, and AI.
Several themes stood out.
1. AI interest is high, but broad adoption remains limited
Three-quarters of the firms in attendance reported active AI pilot programs. However, most acknowledged that broad, firm-wide adoption remains in its early stages.
These initiatives are typically being led by innovation, knowledge management, or IT teams that are evaluating where AI can deliver meaningful value while ensuring appropriate governance and risk controls.
The enthusiasm is real, but most firms are still determining how best to operationalize AI across the organization.
Meanwhile, focus on having a modern and well-adopted, easy-to-use email management and document management system in place remains a top priority.
2. Microsoft Copilot is emerging as the preferred AI platform
Among firms actively utilizing AI solutions, Microsoft Copilot was consistently identified as the leading platform.
This aligns with what we are seeing across the broader legal market. Firms recognize that successful AI initiatives depend on having information that is well-organized, accessible, secure, and properly governed.
While many pilots of other solutions are underway (such as Harvey), many want to take advantage of the software they already own and use every day: Microsoft 365. As a result, many are turning to Microsoft SharePoint as the foundation for managing client matters, documents, emails, and records.
Simply put, firms are realizing that AI is only as effective as the information it can access, and Copilot is the standard solution.
3. Efficiency remains a top priority
While AI generated significant discussion, the most immediate business value continues to come from helping legal professionals work more efficiently.
Lawyers and legal staff are under constant pressure to manage increasing volumes of information while remaining responsive to clients. Automating the filing and retrieval of emails and documents helps reduce administrative effort, improve compliance, and make information easier to find when it matters most.
As one client recently described it, SharePoint serves as a centralized repository where teams can access relevant matters, emails, and documents in a structured and searchable way, supporting both compliance requirements and day-to-day productivity.
4. Cost optimization is accelerating change
Cost considerations are also influencing technology decisions.
Many firms already own Microsoft 365 licenses and therefore have access to SharePoint as part of their existing investment. When combined with solutions such as Colligo, firms can create a modern document management environment that is often significantly more cost-effective than traditional legal document management platforms.
In today’s economic environment, firms are carefully evaluating technology investments and looking for opportunities to reduce costs while improving outcomes.
Looking Ahead
The conversations in Toronto reinforced our belief that the legal industry is entering a new phase of modernization.
AI is creating excitement and opening new possibilities, but firms recognize that success starts with the right information foundation. Well-structured, properly governed content is becoming increasingly important, not only for compliance and knowledge management, but also for maximizing the value of AI technologies such as Microsoft Copilot.
As more firms evaluate alternatives to legacy document management systems, we expect continued momentum toward SharePoint-based solutions that deliver stronger governance, lower costs, improved productivity, and a better foundation for AI.
For firms exploring this transition, we’ve also shared practical lessons and client experiences in our recent webinar, Why Legal Teams Are Rethinking Their DMS—and How to Make Microsoft 365 Actually Work.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are solely my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Colligo. Think of them as ‘strong opinions, loosely held.’ Proceed with curiosity and a sense of humour!