Tech Savvy: The New Competency Standard?

This is a reprint of an article I wrote for the NCBA Law Practice Management Section Newsletter.

I’m always looking for online articles, classes, and educational materials on the latest technology and how or whether it can or should be incorporated into my law practice.    It’s not just about the latest and greatest gadgets, although a friend of mine at the Bar Association’s Center for Practice Management might say that’s the “coolest” part of technology.  I came to realize, though, when I started my own practice, that I would need to rely heavily on technology if I was going to maintain a lean, efficient, versatile and ethical law practice.  I also recognized early on that technology contributes significantly to my continuing success in the practice of law.  Technology helps lawyers gain efficiency in the delivery of legal services to clients, providing more affordable legal services and greater access to justice.  Technology allows lawyers to meet clients’ ever increasing expectations of responsiveness.  It helps lawyers be better advocates through enhanced electronic research, access to expanded resources, effective courtroom presentations, efficiency in collaboration, organization of client data and information management, and thorough analysis of digital evidence.  It can even help prevent ethical pitfalls (think advanced trust accounting software and conflict checking programs).

I believe that education on effective law practice management, including how technology benefits modern law practice, enhances a lawyer’s competency.  Perhaps the ABA House of Delegates agreed when it recently amended the comment to Model Rule 1.1 to require that lawyers be competent in their practice by maintaining “the requisite knowledge and skill” not only in their specific practice areas, but also in understanding “the benefits and risks associated with relevant technology.” [1]

There is no question that technological change requires education and then adaptation on our part to keep up.  For example, litigation today demands more than a basic knowledge of technology.  As Bob Ambrogi says in his article on the ABA’s amendment, “[i]t is impossible to competently (let alone zealously) represent a client in a matter involving electronically stored information without a better-than-average familiarity with technology.”[2]

Effective law practice management enhances the profession and benefits the public.  It’s a win-win.  It seems to me that there is a void that needs to be filled in terms of educating attorneys in this arena.  My hope is that the North Carolina State Bar will follow suit and adopt the ABA’s amendment to Rule 1.1’s comments, recognizing that competence in the practice of law increasingly involves a level of technological understanding and conversance.  This could then pave the way toward liberalizing the CLE rules to provide credit for courses devoted to effective law practice management, including topics relating to technology in the modern day practice of law.