At last count, 38 states have adopted language in their Rules of Professional Conduct stating a lawyer should be aware of the risks and benefits of relevant technology. Canada recently adopted a similar change to its Model Code of Professional Conduct. But many lawyers still have concerns about what they need to know and what the real risks are to themselves and their clients.
So I was very pleased when the American Bar Association’s Solo, Small Firm and General Practice Division asked me to write on the risks of technology incompetence for their theme issue “Digital Bumps in the Road.” Hopefully the concrete examples I provided will guide some lawyers in setting improvement priorities for tech competency. There are some other great articles with useful information in this edition of the magazine.
Open a PDF of the feature as it appeared in GPSOLO magazine here. There is no other public link to my feature if you are not an ABA member (as I understand it.) The ABA has copyright restrictions that appear at the bottom of each page.
I was a bit disappointed when the decision was made to put the magazine behind the membership firewall. But it’s actually not a huge barrier now. Every ABA member can “opt in” to membership in both the Solo, Small Firm and General Practice Division and the Law Practice Division at no additional charge and receive digital copies of GPSOLO Magazine and Law Practice Magazine. (I’m a long term member of LP Magazine’s editorial board.) Then you will also have access to GPSOLO Magazine archives. The ABA’s new dues structure is very friendly to solo or small firm lawyers at only $150 per year for those lawyers.