This post was based upon the author’s keynote address to The German Bar Association on May 26th, 2017. One way to describe the future lawyer is to list challenges attorneys must confront, then identify skillsets required to meet them. (more…)
Jun
01
May
25
\The legal industry is becoming digitized. What does that mean? Digitization is a common term lacking a uniform definition. It is often used to describe a suite of IT assets-- networks servers, software, the cloud, and other tools. IT is an essential element, certainly, but digitization is much more than... read more →
May
18
Law schools and firms have long had a symbiotic relationship. It’s not surprising, then, that they are are confronting similar challenges -- an outdated model; entrenched stakeholders that oppose change; declining demand; high cost; failure to deploy technology and process/project management to promote more efficient delivery of services; high customer... read more →
May
11
The American Lawyer’s annual ranking of law firms by size and economic performance is law’s version of the Oscars. It is highly anticipated, widely viewed, and the subject of considerable discussion. It has been a staple of the legal industry since its inception in 1986. What began as the 200... read more →
May
04
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), the regulatory body that oversees the legal profession in England and Wales, has enacted a major overhaul of legal training and solicitor licensure to take effect in 2020. Gone is the requirement solicitors must acquire a law degree for practice. In its place is a... read more →
Apr
27
Michael Corkery’s recent New York Times article, ‘Is Retail at a Historic Tipping Point?’ is well worth the read. It describes the retail industry’s rapid transition from stores and malls to online shopping. The article exposes the the human toll the transition has effected--fewer jobs and lower pay except senior management. Technology... read more →
Apr
20
Competition for corporate legal work is keen. Law firms vie with each other for a shrinking segment of outsourced legal work. Corporate legal departments and a growing array of well capitalized, tech and process savvy service providers now account for an almost 50% of legal spend. It’s not surprising, then,... read more →
Apr
13
Allen & Overy (A&O), the blue-blood UK-based global law firm recently announced the launch of a technology innovation space inside its London office. The new venture, named ‘Fuse,’ will provide space tailored for 60 entrepreneurs from start-up tech companies. The techies will be provided more than well-located, comfy digs–they will... read more →
Mar
30
The legal profession has a dismal record on diversity–especially large law firms. Between 2007 and 2015, there was a decline in the number of black attorneys in big firms. And, per the same study conducted by the Minority Corporate Counsel Association and Vault.com, the number of Asian-American lawyers receiving promotions... read more →
Mar
23
There are three categories of intelligence in the legal vertical--intellectual, emotional, and artificial. Many lawyers have elevated IQ’s, though relatively few seem to possess high EQ’s-- commonly called ‘people skills’. Only the best lawyers–trusted advisers-- have both. Artificial intelligence (AI), a recent entrant in the legal vertical, scores high on... read more →