Teaching Legal Tech to Lawyers & Law Students
The topic is not a new one. In fact, it has been around for quite a while. And while many law schools are providing the option, mostly through library resources or an optional course, most don't require it. And what about attorneys who are already in practice? Some states are now requiring legal tech training. Many, if not most, are not.
Well, now we have proof that it's a good idea. A study published today from Wolters Kluwer states that not only are attorneys who use legal technology more profitable, they are poised for growth. On the other side of the equation, the study finds that lack of knowledge and understanding of skills are the top reasons many law firms choose not to use legal tech. Those are pretty easy to overcome.
Legal Tech in Law Schools
Many law schools are either in the process of adding legal tech to their library resource centers or are already there. This is a critical step in the process of introducing future lawyers to legal tech. At a minimum, students can easily access legal tech tools and give them a try. Whether it's for an hour or two or maybe on an ongoing basis. There are so many options out there, from individual tools to full platforms, like SimpleLaw.
But, how does a school provide this access? As mentioned, in our interactions, the library is the starting point. Which makes a lot of sense. How much has the law library changed in the last 15 years? Certainly volumes and volumes of legal research and history still grace the walls and halls of many truly glorious libraries. However, in addition, much of that information is now available online. So, libraries, and the talented librarians who keep it all organized and productive, have dealt with the impact of technology. They know how to usher in new tools, how to train students on using it, and so much more. So, how do we get these students trained? And how do we get currently active attorneys more training?
Overcoming Lack of Knowledge
Lack of knowledge or experience with software platforms is a concern very easily addressed in law school. What student doesn't feel uninformed or unexperienced? That's the whole point of law school: to teach. So, let's get legal tech included in that process. Yes, law school is busy and stressful. No doubt about it. But keeping an eye toward the future, truly preparing the student to enter the practice of law is what is meant to be accomplished. Start with a library resource room. Offer some classes. Or even offer webinars, provided by legal tech providers like SimpleLaw, so students gain an understanding. All providers are interested and ready, no doubt. Especially as the forecast is for over 50% of law firms to increase their spending on legal tech.
For active attorneys, the answer is nearly as simply. CLE. Every attorney must fulfill the requirements of their licensing body. So, one fairly easy way to overcome this is to require attorneys to complete a certain amount of hours of CLE in actual software training. Again, trust us on this one, there are many legal tech providers who are ready to jump in and offer that opportunity.
Once a law student or practicing attorney has that initial view in to legal tech, much of the mystique disappears. After all, a word processing software tool was once tricky too but boy has that been overcome. Not to mention the world of options we use daily on our phones. Whether it's calendar events or texting or even using social media. We are all used to tech. It's just new. But only new for a while.
It's About Change
In the end, really, it's about change. Changing the way current attorneys use software. I don't talk too much about it but I have a Masters Degree in Change Management. Picked that for a reason. Change can be very tough, especially 'institutional' change. That doesn't mean it has to be a big organization. It just means changing the way things are done in the organization, whether it's 1 person or 1,000. It really about overcoming the inherent anxiety in managing change. But like most things that are good for us, we have to stick with it. The key? Start. Just start. Want help? You know where to find us. Whether you are a student, a law school, a practicing attorney, or a bar association. Like I said, we are ready to help.
