Technology has effectively crept into every aspect of our lives, why not law? The practice of law has been significantly affected by the speed in which technology changes the way information is delivered. Being a lawyer requires a vast amount of research and information-gathering. To be frank, the law has not kept up well with the ever-changing tech world. Here are a few specific ways in which law has been transformed by technology.
Research is much easier to conduct.
Research on any possible subject is simply a click away. There is no longer need to spend hours in the library looking up old case files to get a grasp on where the case should be heading. With the Internet, it is possible to become a novice in any subject within the hour. Knowledge and information are everywhere.
Social media has infected marketing.
Many well-respected lawyers are finding out very quickly that their practices do not stand a chance without an up-to-date social media presence. If prospective clients cannot research a method and its constituents online, then they are more likely to move on to the next listing. Many professionals have taken to hiring writers to maintain their social media presence.
The Internet has dampened the authenticity of advertising.
The Internet has provided the opportunity to entertain delusions of grandeur for some lawyers. The web is not policed for this type of misinformation, so the slimeballs of the industry are free to write anything they want… even if it is not even close to being truthful. Eventually, the Bar Association will catch up with this crack in the system, but for now, false advertising runs rampant online.
Communication has been reinvented through technology.
A positive change to the industry of law is that communication has been reinvented through the use of technology. In seconds, a law associate can connect with their opposition and share vital information about a big case. There is no longer a need for stacks and boxes of paperwork to be manually exchanged between opposing parties.
Juries have access to restricted information.
It is not such a great thing that technology provides unlimited access to information when that information is being passed to selected members of a jury. Before cell phones transformed into tiny computers, panel members were strictly shielded from obtaining any information about the current case. Now it is tough to restrict outside information from leaking into the minds of jury members. The technology undermines the whole process of a fair trial and occasionally places our nation’s justice system in question.
Overall, technology can be an excellent tool for the legal field, but it is some serious need of policing. There need to be rules and regulations applied to lawyers when it comes to the use of technology. As of now, the world is a bit too opened and vulnerable to injustice.
