A portent of the future: apps on tablet computers for in-house lawyers, supported by SAP and Tata Consulting

Law Technology News, Oct. 2011 at 19, says that “SAP and Tata Consulting Services now have an iPad application for their jointly developed Legal Management System.”

That pregnant sentence tells us at least four possible developments (1) SAP, one of the giants in ERP systems, has put its toe in the waters of matter management (See my post of Feb. 24, 2011: Hyperion prediction that major software companies will enter the legal department market.). (2) A powerhouse global consulting group has pushed further into law department automation (See my post of July 27, 2011: entrance to in-house technology market of global behemoths.). (3) Apps specifically for in-house counsel have appeared (See my post of Sept. 26, 2011: mobile apps.). (4) Tablet computers, prominently iPads, will become preferred hardware for in-house lawyers, even if not fully supported by corporate IT (See my post of Nov. 22, 2010: bring your own personal software to work.).