Worse, at a time when most lawyers are trying to figure out why e-mail attachments from a client can't be read on the expensive, upgraded system the firm had specifically chosen for that purpose, technology providers assume that attorneys spend all day making presentations on large screens. Thus, conclude these vendors, what lawyers really need is a wireless mouse to flip pages on the large screen. One attorney says that he has given up explaining what providing confidential legal counsel to clients entails. Of course, consultants who see hiring their firm as the solution to every problem will always be with us. Notes from the trade show floor at the American Bar Association's three-day TechShow in Chicago reveal that some vendors feel marketing technology to lawyers is replete with challenges.
Lawyers are the slowest technology adopters on the planet.
Other professions, such as accountancy, which also have security concerns are far ahead of the legal profession in using technology effectively. The vendors try to be polite. Oh, that's good. But the courts are even worse. The conference featured some of the stars of the court system who are attempting to deploy electronic filing, e-storage and digitized dockets.