Law firms may be eager to exploit the value of data analytics as both a litigation and marketing tool, but the successful adoption of those technologies can still be a hard-won battle. For starters, even once the extensive training required is completed, attorneys may continue to have lingering questions about what the data is telling them.

But if there are lawyers in the law firm ecosystem struggling to leverage data analytics, there’s a chance it’s not for lack of trying. Chris Emerson, director of legal operations and innovation at Quarles & Brady, noted that the Great Recession that unfolded between 2007 and 2009 created large litigation portfolios that helped fuel the rise of analytics inside of firms due to the large population of cases and a shift in fee structures that saw law firms absorbing more risk.