Changing attitudes is just as important as changing rules to permit multidisciplinary practice. Many law-related Internet business models have tremendous potential, but lack a truly national law firm that can deliver services in every major U.S. city. State licensing prevents the development of such services. Even minor rules, such as trade-name prohibitions, create obstacles to rolling out and educating the public about a new legal service. If the public perceives that the multidisciplinary approach of the Big Five delivers better services at lower cost, one way or another it will get what it wants and the private bar will be denigrated for trying to prevent it.
Public pressure works both ways.
The business community's perception of the Big Five consulting firms is not resoundingly positive. The Big Five have problems with perceived high costs, arrogance, staffing by underqualified recent graduates and conflicts of interest. A radical but possibly effective way to adapt to changing times is to ask clients what they want from the legal profession, and then to provide it. If the rules governing attorney-attorney competition are not changed fundamentally in 1999, the traditional practice of law has very little chance of continuing without wrenching change. If the rules are changed next year, law firms will need another year to make plans and hire additional professionals, and yet another year to have any significant market impact.