Lately we have encountered many theories of conspiracy and since I am not too fond of them I really hope that this article will not sound like one. I would call it a look into the future by examining the past. We are living in the era of the Aquarius and many experts are promising big transformations on the collective level and because the Aquarius is the voice of the future to some extent, I find it very insightful to think about the future of the legal tech.
I would relate my story to the fashion industry and the history of it. As we very well notice, fashion always returned. We went from very long and puffy dresses to very short ones and back. The fact is that I am intuitive rather than following the trend "fashionista", however, I am a very good observer.
So, what would it be like if the legal tech would play out the same way as the fashion industry does? Lets see...Would that imply more human interaction, more interface meetings, dealing with paper files, arguing the case in a real court rather than on Zoom, not having to deal with billable hours, being a part of a very respected and well rounded craft rather than part of a craft subject to bullying?
I've spent almost 5 years looking into the future of the law and during this time came across many writers, around the world, who tried to envision "what was going to happen next". And here is the Pandemic who shows us how important it was to be ready to go remotely and have access to all of the tools technology had offered us. For some industries it did become a life - saver. Working as a virtual legal professional, I myself can say that my professional life wasn't affected much because in a way I was prepared for that. However, what will happen after the pandemic? Will the pandemic become a reset for how we do things? Will the pandemic reshape the future of the legal tech from now on?
Not sure about you, but I do crave the human connection. I love being able to go to court and I would love to have the opportunity to have face - to - face meetings with clients again. It gives a sense of purpose. I am not saying that technology will or should become obsolete and that it is of no help, to us lawyers, however I am saying that the future will bring the human element back because we so much crave it. In the end, we are in a relationship rather than machinery business. How would you like to see the legal future reshaped?
by Galina Barbascumpa