There’s no escaping the old adage “everything goes through change.” Let’s face it, nothing stays the same. In law, as in life, it’s especially important to stay informed regarding current developments. In the legal profession specifically– knowledge is everything! With this in mind, here are 5 current legal trends which may affect you and your future case.
- E-discovery. Recent amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure make electronically stored information such as e-mails, instant messages, voicemails, e-calendars, graphics and data on handheld devices discoverable in litigation. The discovery of electronically stored information (ESI) is known as electronic discovery.
- Social Media. No surprise here right? After all, Social Media is everywhere these days! Legal professionals use a growing number of social media tools to accomplish legal tasks and defend clients. In fact, Social networking is changing how legal professionals perform critical aspects of their job such as: networking with other legal professionals who can help you, locating and discrediting witnesses, and interacting with clients.
- Eco-Consciousness. As going green becomes a global priority, green law initiatives are impacting the business and practice of law. In response to global warming, economic pressure and eco-conscious clients, law firms and legal professionals across the globe are establishing green initiatives that cut expenses, reduce their carbon footprint and promote social responsibility. While this particular trend may not directly affect your case, it will affect your health in the long run!
- Virtual Law Firms. Powerful mobile devices, software-as-a service, and secure, web-based technology allow legal professionals to work from virtually anywhere, so more and more legal professionals are working remotely from home or a virtual law office. The result? The law office is always open for you.
Alternative Billing Models. Pressure to reign in legal costs have forced law firms to diverge from the traditional billable-hours model – a century-old staple of the legal industry that has been criticized for rewarding inefficiency – in favor of new alternative billing models such as fixed, flat, blended or capped fees.
