In the real world, you go to school to learn the basics. By the time you’re working towards your graduate degree, you know exactly where you want to be, and your schoolwork is training you specifically for that career very. Yet, every one of us who has ever held a job will tell you that schoolwork alone doesn’t fully prepare you to be a model employee. Only quality experience can do that.
We live in an age that knows few bounds. Where once we were limited by geography, we now can communicate instantly with anyone anywhere in the world. Where once we were limited by knowledge, we now have the world’s libraries accessible to us with just a few keystrokes. Where once we were limited by opportunity, we now command the power of vast digital resources, without regard to our status or wealth.
You’ve heard about Twitter. You may have even visited the site. But how can lawyers – a prolix group, if ever there was one – stand to benefit from a micro-blogging service that limits messages to 140 characters?
Imagine 15 years ago as a practicing lawyer taking 30 minutes in the morning to skim news headlines from 400 or 500 reliable news sources you selected because they offered news and commentary related to your work as well as monitoring keywords relevant to your area of law (clients’ names, subjects, cases, and the like) for their use in the news and private commentary.
In a live Web radio show, Twitter extraordinaire Rex Gradeless faced off with legal marketing expert Larry Bodine, debating the merits of Twitter for lawyers.
In my book, The End of Lawyers?, I claim that the future for lawyers could be prosperous or disastrous. I predict that those who are unwilling to change their working practices and extend their services will struggle to survive.
I appreciate being invited to participate in this “Rebel-Fest,” but want to start by taking issue with the notion of being a “Rebel.” My first boss was Senator Moynihan, D-N.Y., and he used to say that “words matter.” Labeling folks who want to restore the best part of the legal profession as “Rebels” is, I would suggest, part of the problem.
On Oct. 14-15, as part of 24 Hours of Rebels, some of the most creative minds in the legal profession will be talking on LegalRebels.com about how the practice of law needs to change in the next five years – from law school to big firms, from solo practice to the demands of clients, from legal ethics to how lawyers use technology.
The ABA Journal wants to host and facilitate conversations among lawyers about their profession. We are now accepting thoughtful, non-promotional articles and commentary by unpaid contributors.
