Increasingly, lawyers are finding that some of the work they used to do, processing paperwork, giving information, and almost anything routine, is now available free or at low cost on the internet. In many states, accountants, paralegals, and counselor-mediators now offer services that replace the need for a lawyer. Firms are finding ways to cross jurisdictional lines. As lawyers, we are left wondering how our profession will evolve and increasingly, our legal precedents are getting stretched beyond recognition. In spite of all the problems, lawyers are still the ones that people turn to in times of trouble - for advice, for advocacy, for public service on boards and in elected office.
People still look to the legal profession for leadership.
In times of rapid change, there is a need for leadership. As lawyers, we want to contribute to our communities and live balanced lives in which we give our families the time, love and attention they deserve, lives in which we take care of ourselves, in which we are active, productive members of our communities. Sometimes, working within the traditional legal system, we are as perplexed as our clients. Used to having all the answers, we find ourselves wondering and questioning our own abilities. The legal system is a collection of lawyers.