Jonah Perlin, an Associate Professor of Law at Georgetown Law and former litigator at Williams & Connolly LLP, brings his expertise to today's The Tech Savvy Lawyer podcast episode. With his background in civil litigation, he launched the How I Lawyer Podcast in January 2021, aiming to share insights from legal professionals to law students and lawyers alike.

Jonah and I discuss how technology reshapes legal education, practice, and ethics. We further explore the importance of legal tech skills for law students in navigating the evolving job market. Additionally, we examine the integration of AI in legal education and research, acknowledging its potential and challenges. The discussion also addresses lawyers' underutilization of legal research tools and ethical concerns in technology use within law firms. Finally, we touch on specific legal tech tools and offer podcasting strategies for legal professionals!

Join Jonah and me as we discuss the following three questions and more!

What are the top three tech skills all students should master by the time they graduate law?
What are the top three tech tools that attorneys are under-utilizing today?
What are the top three ethical mistakes attorneys are making with their technology?

In our conversation, we cover the following:

[01:23] A Law Professor's Tech Setup

[14:00] Observations on Law Students' Transition from Pre to Post-COVID

[19:54] Equipping Law Students with Essential Tech Skills for the Modern Legal Landscape

[33:21] Three Tech Tools Lawyers Should Embrace Today

[38:00] Ethical Tech Pitfalls in Legal Practice: Critical Insights and Solutions

[44:19] How I Lawyer Podcast: Exploring Legal Careers and Insights Through Conversations

[46:16] Essential Tech Tools for Starting a Podcast

[54:07] Connect with Jonah

Resources:

Connect with Jonah:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jonah-perlin

Podcast: howilawyer.com/

Substack: howilawyer.substack.com/

Hardware mentioned in the conversation:

Mac Mini: apple.com/mac-mini

MV7 - Podcast Microphone: shure.com/en-US/products

Tascam Headphones tascam.com/us/category/Headphones

Yeti microphone: logitechg.com/en-us/products

Software & Cloud Services mentioned in the conversation:

Calendly: calendly.com

Descript: descript.com

Fastcase: fastcase.com

LexisNexis: lexisnexis.com

Trello: trello.com

I came across this great article “A Primer on Legal Technology” by Julie B. Johnson, Associate Editor for the National Jurist summarized below:

As the digital age ushers in innovative solutions, the practice of law is becoming more efficient thanks to legal technology. Law students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with these advancements to enhance their professional acumen and improve client services.

"Technology has been changing the practice of law in small ways for decades," says Joe Regalia, an associate professor at the University of Nevada. The current tech boom, however, has introduced tools that dramatically increase efficiency and productivity. Colin Levy, a legal technologist, explains how these tools can automate time-consuming tasks like creating documents, onboarding clients, and reviewing standard agreements.

Legal tech also makes legal resources more accessible to clients and enhances transparency. Furthermore, it aids lawyers in devising litigation strategies and elucidating complex legal matters. As technology continues to redefine legal practice, it is imperative to remain updated.

In many states, lawyers are now required to possess technical competence or risk disciplinary action. Lawyers and law firms can face liability for technological errors, such as data breaches or accidental release of sensitive information. Knowledge in data collection, e-discovery, and other common technologies are deemed essential.

The practice of law is more than just reading and arguing the law - you need to know how to use technology as a lawyer!

2021 law graduate Cole Reynolds recommends law students familiarize themselves with various legal tech tools before graduating. This not only prepares them for a diverse range of careers but also increases their market value. "There is no telling how many different careers a student may pursue from graduation to retirement, and having that wide base of knowledge will do wonders," says Reynolds.

Reynolds suggests that students need not become coding experts. Instead, gaining a basic understanding and exploring various tools via software demos could provide a strong foundation.

Key legal technologies include billing software, legal research tools, practice management software, contract management software, virtual courtrooms, legal document automation software, e-discovery software, and AI/ML-powered tools.

To get tech-savvy, law students are advised to explore popular tech tools, understand their risks and pitfalls, keep abreast of technology trends, and be inquisitive about new technologies. With free trials available for most tools, students can 'learn by doing'. This hands-on approach can provide them with insights and familiarity that will serve them well in their legal careers.