Statistics are available from the ABA that show attorneys spend an inordinate amount of time first finding a file, then finding information in the file. And many times, they are only looking for a single document, a piece of paper, or simply a phone number. In the areas of research, we see publishers offering their materials on CD-ROM and, to an extent, make them available on the Internet. With today's computerized software applications, information is entered into the computer system by a variety of people. This may sound too good to be true, but this technology is available today and in use.
Information management is what the new attorney breed brings to the firm.
There is a new technology trend surfacing in the legal industry and it is being brought about by the Internet and the way information is delivered to your desktop computer workstation. That worked fine for many years, but with today's stress on time and information management, law firms need to adapt new methods and techniques and those involve technology. Using technology available today, lawyers can research law and business libraries all over the world, search case statutes in Florida and other states, search case law either from their own CD-ROM library or one of the various online services, all from their desktop computer workstations. Most firms use computers for word processing, time and billing, and calendaring. Many firms use interoffice electronic mail on local area networks.