These days, lawyers are increasingly incorporating technology into their law practices. However, even in 2017, not all lawyers fully embrace technology. But, interestingly enough, most lawyers nevertheless use mobile devices. It’s a peculiar dichotomy that has existed for years now.
Starting in the early 2000s, lawyers had the reputation for being “crackberry addicts,” and for good reason. Lawyers, especially large firm lawyers, seemed to be perpetually attached to their Blackberrys. In large part, the reason for Blackberry’ popularity with lawyers was 24/7 availability and access to emails.
When the iPhone was released in 2007, the gradual shift from Blackberrys to full-fledged smartphones began. The 24/7 access to information that lawyers enjoyed was amplified when smartphones were combined with the power of cloud computing. Using tools like legal practice management software, lawyers could now view more than just emails on their devices. Lawyers could also access documents, case-related information, client communications, and more. Mobile computing made it possible for lawyers to practice law from virtually anywhere, giving them more convenience and flexibility.
So it’s not surprising that according to the to the results from the American Bar Association’s latest Legal Technology Survey Report, mobile lawyering is more popular than ever in 2017. Nearly all lawyers surveyed (94%) reported “regularly or occasionally using a mobile device for law- related tasks at home.” Interestingly lawyers’ use of mobile devices varied by practice area, with employment/labor lawyers leading the way at 87%, followed by intellectual property lawyers at 81%, and litigation attorneys at 80%.
Using mobile devices while in transit is also popular with lawyers, with 91% reporting that they do so. Of those lawyers, litigation attorneys were most likely to use mobile devices in transit at 44%, followed by intellectual property lawyers at 38% and commercial lawyers, also at 38%. Employment/labor lawyers followed closely behind at 37%.
Interestingly, mobile devices were the most popular computing device used by lawyers when in their office, with 70% using smartphones at work. 66% reported using desktop computers in their office, 51% used laptop computers, 25% used tablets, and less than 1% used e-readers. Solo attorneys were the most likely to use laptops at work, at 61%.