Page 162 - MASTER COPY LEADERS BOOK 9editedJKK (24)_Neat
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Leaders in Legal Business
Keep Up with Technology through the ABA
As I think about how my practice has changed over the years in terms of business development, the
biggest issue facing lawyers today is technology. I remember attending my first ABA Law Practice Division
TECHSHOW about 10 years ago as part of my responsibilities of a leadership role I had in my firm. Some
of the toughest decisions at that time were selecting the right computers and deciding which dictation
equipment to use.
Law firm “technology” today is so much more than equipment that sits on our desks. It touches
everything we do. It impacts how we practice our cases, and how we manage and market our firms.
Technology is the biggest driving factor in business development today and foreseeable future.
The first question you have to ask yourself is: What technology is relevant to my practice? Answer: all of
it. What lawyer doesn’t need practice management software to help them work faster, smarter, and more
profitably? Shouldn’t every litigator be familiar with the most up-to-date advances in e-discovery,
collecting social media evidence, and knowing how to try a case or take a deposition using an iPad?
Finally, if you have a leadership role in your firm, it is imperative to stay updated on the advances
of cloud computing, generating business through your website, using social media, and leveraging every
lawyer and employee in your office to become technologically efficient. If used correctly, technology serves
two main purposes: It makes you a better lawyer, and it’s a terrific generator of business.
The question many of us ask ourselves as lawyers is how to stay relevant in the area of technology.
The Law Practice Division and many state and local bar associations have practice management advisors
who are available as part of your ABA or bar dues. These terrific advisors are committed to helping lawyers
and law firms better manage their offices. Contact information for all the ABA and State practice
management advisors can be found at the webpage for the ABA Law Practice Division’s State and Local
Bar Outreach Committee.
If you are a new law school graduate or if you have been practicing five or 10 years, ask yourself:
How can attorneys highlight their talents and stand out from their fellow practitioners? How do these
distinctions lead to more jobs, promotions, clients, and referrals? I think the answer goes back to my dad’s
advice: Make good decisions about those who will help make you a better person and well-respected
attorney. Pick the right organizations and get involved.
155
Keep Up with Technology through the ABA
As I think about how my practice has changed over the years in terms of business development, the
biggest issue facing lawyers today is technology. I remember attending my first ABA Law Practice Division
TECHSHOW about 10 years ago as part of my responsibilities of a leadership role I had in my firm. Some
of the toughest decisions at that time were selecting the right computers and deciding which dictation
equipment to use.
Law firm “technology” today is so much more than equipment that sits on our desks. It touches
everything we do. It impacts how we practice our cases, and how we manage and market our firms.
Technology is the biggest driving factor in business development today and foreseeable future.
The first question you have to ask yourself is: What technology is relevant to my practice? Answer: all of
it. What lawyer doesn’t need practice management software to help them work faster, smarter, and more
profitably? Shouldn’t every litigator be familiar with the most up-to-date advances in e-discovery,
collecting social media evidence, and knowing how to try a case or take a deposition using an iPad?
Finally, if you have a leadership role in your firm, it is imperative to stay updated on the advances
of cloud computing, generating business through your website, using social media, and leveraging every
lawyer and employee in your office to become technologically efficient. If used correctly, technology serves
two main purposes: It makes you a better lawyer, and it’s a terrific generator of business.
The question many of us ask ourselves as lawyers is how to stay relevant in the area of technology.
The Law Practice Division and many state and local bar associations have practice management advisors
who are available as part of your ABA or bar dues. These terrific advisors are committed to helping lawyers
and law firms better manage their offices. Contact information for all the ABA and State practice
management advisors can be found at the webpage for the ABA Law Practice Division’s State and Local
Bar Outreach Committee.
If you are a new law school graduate or if you have been practicing five or 10 years, ask yourself:
How can attorneys highlight their talents and stand out from their fellow practitioners? How do these
distinctions lead to more jobs, promotions, clients, and referrals? I think the answer goes back to my dad’s
advice: Make good decisions about those who will help make you a better person and well-respected
attorney. Pick the right organizations and get involved.
155
