LAWYERS: TECHNOLOGICAL EVOLUTION

K Royal | October 9, 2015

(excerpts from the Association of Corporate Counsel, Docket, October 2015)

Have you ever wondered what it must have felt like to be a lawyer when the industrial revolution was happening and the world was changing so dramatically? Oddly, our experiences with change may be similar to those who experienced the industrial revolution. We are in the midst of a similar technological revolution — the information revolution. Yes, technologically, the information revolution is in full swing, but in the legal ﬁeld, we are experiencing the pains of technological evolution.

To gain better insights on how this technological evolution is impacting the legal field, let’s take a look at a recent survey of 205 individuals and in-depth perspectives from three female attorneys interviewed for the ACC article: Nayla Valente, general counsel for Saint-Gobain Construction Products headquartered in Paris La Défense in France, Tracy L. Jacobson, corporate counsel for GN Hearing Care Corporation in Glenview, Illinois, and Casey C. Higgins, trade counsel for Chairman Paul Ryan, Committee on Ways and Means, Subcommittee on Trade of the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington, D.C.

Here’s a little preview of what we found from the survey results:

Growing pains. While email texting and office chat networks increase efficiency, they instill in attorneys the pressure of constant connection.
End of the ‘mommy track’ career. The increasing accessibility that tech has granted attorneys has eroded some of the preconceptions around young female associates.
Technology immigrants versus natives. Feel no shame in being a latecomer to the information revolution; if you are already embedded, remember to unplug occasionally.
Embrace the change. Keep and build upon the technology solutions that work for you, and feel no qualms about discarding those that hinder you.

One of the best things about the information revolution is the ability to connect in new and meaningful ways. Read the full article here, and I hope you find this content useful, and that it inspires you as you ride the wave of change that comes with the information revolution.