ABA Future Panel Calls For Broad Changes In Legal Services
This post has been viewed 2,389 times.
The Report on the Future of Legal Services in the United States provides a frank, thorough and frequently bleak assessment of the state of legal services and the legal profession’s complicity in inhibiting innovation, while also heralding the promise of emerging delivery models and technologies to bring about change.
* * *
At the same time, however, the commission hedges its recommendations on some of the key issues facing the profession, particularly nonlawyer ownership of law firms, nonlawyers giving legal advice, and the regulation of companies such as LegalZoom and Rocket Lawyer that use technology to deliver legal services.
On the ownership issue, the commission finds that “the traditional law practice business model constrains innovations” that would enhance the delivery of legal services and that there are “providers other than lawyers who are delivering cost-effective and competent legal help.
* * *
“The legal profession continues to resist change, not only to the public’s detriment but also its own.”
* * *
At the same time, I recognize that this was a consensus document – as the report itself says. In reading it, I found myself comparing the findings – where it seems no holds were barred – to the recommendations – where the committee seems more cautious.
Read original articleTags:
