Adapt to Law’s Digital Disruption or Die by Snooze

If “what we find changes who we become” then consider this Law 2.0: The New Continuum of Legal Education report by Colorado Law (University of Colorado at Boulder):

1. Digital disruption is forcing law to change just like journalism, music, video and other information industries.
2. This digital transition leaves many traditional law firm business models under stress.
3. This creates new opportunities for novel technology solutions and non-traditional service providers.

Law school and post-JD training “should be reconceived as a continuum of legal education better tailored to a digital and disaggregated legal environment.”

The report findings are a wake-up call for law leaders:

• Disruption within the legal marketplace leaves many attorneys unprepared to succeed in evolving legal roles.
• These lawyers find themselves in need of skills and professional mindsets that legal education and other professional training – such as continuing legal education – struggle to provide.
• This educational gap affects law students and practicing lawyers alike.
• Law students entering the profession are often ill prepared for such an evolving landscape.

The report talks about the “opportunity to better adapt legal education offerings to today’s evolving roles” and recommends that educators prepare law students and attorneys to succeed in legal or business roles today and in the future.

But that’s a distinct challenge because:

1. A disaggregated legal environment destroys traditional notions of legal services and who provides them;
2. Many students and attorneys don’t possess and are ill-prepared to develop the new skills and mindsets required in this new environment; and
3. Traditional training opportunities have diminished or are insufficient to prepare attorneys for a change.

Still, the report lights the path for educators, students and the legal profession to adapt.

Are you?

This report was published in October of 2012 — almost a year and a half ago.

You didn’t hit “snooze,” did you?

Don’t let the day-to-day cause you to lose sight of the big shifts underfoot. That’s dangerous.

You can’t control everything but here’s one thing you do control: conversations about law abound on the Internet and why not? Law permeates every aspect of our society. With blogs and social media platforms making legal information so accessible you are either part of the conversation or you’re not. If you’re not building a strong online persona — that leaves compelling digital footprints showcasing your passion, authority and expertise — someone else is — like these three law blog authors:

• Cruise Law News: author Jim Walker focuses on news and legal commentary involving cruise ship passengers & crew members.
• Employment & Labor Insider: author Robin Shea breaks down labor and employment law minus the legalese. Anna Gallegos wrote a LXBN feature on Robin here.
• Nation of Immigrators: author Angelo Paparelli brings into focus the public policy around America’s dysfunctional immigration system.

So, how are you adapting?

Find time to read the Colorado Law report and share your comments or feedback with me.

I will help you adapt.

Related Research

The Center for the Study of the Legal Profession at the Georgetown University Law Center and Thomson Reuters present a 2014 Report on the State of the Legal Market setting out their views of the dominant trends impacting the legal market in 2013 and key issues likely to influence the market in 2014 and beyond. More this 2014 Report later…