As stated in “Computer for Lawyers�, by
Paul Bernstein’s, most attorneys recognize the
obvious benefits of law-office automation--for others.
They acknowledge that word-processing and automated
time-and-billing programs can help secretaries, paralegals,
and office managers work more efficiently.
But they generally are not interested in learning about
what computers can do for them personally. They are
skeptical of computers' usefulness. They doubt the value
of creating searchable databases of cases and information,
sending documents and electronic mail to clients and
other attorneys, or creating brief banks and legal forms
databases, let alone using a computer in court to access
deposition testimony while cross-examining a witness
or using stunning graphics, day-in-the-life video and
other visual presenters in court rooms, relying on information
stored on the hard disk of their computer or CD-ROM.
Fears of not
keeping up, because clients demand computer
capabilities and because the government
and counsel for large corporate defendants
use computer technology.
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Peers, because their fellow
lawyers are automating and clients are now
sophisticated enough to know that if you
don’t use computer technology well,
that your charges to the client are likely
to be substantially higher then they would
be from lawyers who use technology and/or
that you may not be as capable an attorney
as other attorneys who do use databases,
litigation support, graphics in the court
room and the like to their clients�
advantage.
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| Profits, because
greater efficiency means greater profits. |
Source: Paul Bernstein's, Computers for
Lawyers |
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Given the competitive environment and the fact that
many of your clients use computers, you must change
your instinctively conservative behavior and learn
to use the technology.
The question before YOU is how to achieve this worthy
goal.
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