The demise of mentoring has been exacerbated by billing procedures implemented by clients who refuse to pay for any mentoring or education. The impact of the billable hour on the quality of our profession cannot be overstated. I am hopeful that my vision of the future will include the demise of the billable hour and a return to value billing or taskbased billing. The technology revolution has had a profound effect on the way we practice law. Today, we can take our entire office with us in the form of a laptop computer.
Most lawyers spend a lion's share of their time at home or on the road.
While the home office may be a positive development for lawyering, it is also a negative in that work never really stops. The work day becomes 24 hours long. Telecommuting from home has had a negative effect on collegiality. Too many lawyers no longer see each other on a frequent basis. They no longer discuss mutual problems and concerns over coffee.