In an article on LawSites entitled “Five Days, Two Conferences, One Echo Chamber,” Massachusetts lawyer and legal journalist Bob Ambrogi describes his recent attendance at two legal conferences held in New York City in early February, Legalweek (now in its 37th year) and Inspire.Legal (inaugurated in 2019).
Although the events were very different, Ambrogi says, he found them both to be of value. However, he was discouraged to note that the organizers, presenters, target audiences, and attendees at both meetings consisted primarily of the ten percent of lawyers who work at the world’s largest law firms and its biggest corporations.
“Virtually nowhere to be found were the 90 percent of lawyers who practice outside biglaw, the business clients who do not run mega-corporations, the access-to-justice community, or those disenfranchised from the legal system,” Ambrogi says.
To Ambrogi’s concern, I would add my own observation that in general there is little help for the majority of lawyers and law firms who are desperate for assistance in managing the technological maze and the host of other issues that face the legal industry today.
I was left wondering how legal tech and innovation became the domain of the legal elite, and how can we bring more voices to the table in order for true change to come about in law. – Robert Ambrogi
In a more expansive article on the same subject at Above the Law, Ambrogi explores ways in which more meaningful and inclusive conversations, and exchanges of information about the future of the law, can be facilitated. I encourage you to read the article as it raises important questions that are worthy of our close consideration.
Ambrogi concludes that “If we truly want to solve the problems that face the legal system […] as a whole, then we need to find ways to bring together all the stakeholders. That means biglaw and small law, big business and small business, clients and those who cannot afford to become clients, those embroiled in the system and those excluded from it.”
It’s a tall order but one that is, I believe, essential to the future of our profession.
Please let me know your thoughts on this or any other matter related to the law, either in the comments section below or directly via email.