The ABA's Legal Technology Resource Center has conducted yearly surveys of technology use by practicing attorneys for over 10 years. The results of the 2014 survey are in, and they have been compiled into the 2014 Legal Technology Survey Report. The annual report is considered one of the foremost sources of information regarding the use of technology by attorneys in private practice.
The report includes detailed charts and tables that show both current technology use and trends as well as results from previous surveys.
This year's report consists of six volumes:
Volume 1: Technology Basics
This portion of the Report provides an overview of the basic technology used by attorneys. It covers topics including: budgeting, goals, training, security, support, and more.
Volume 2: Law Office Technology
Volume 2 covers a wide variety of law office technology, both hardware and software, including:
- Legal-specific software
- Cloud computing concerns
- The use of tablets and mobile devices in the office
- Which products and brands are most popular with lawyers
Volume 3: Litigation and Courtroom Technology
Technology is not only invading the law office, but also the courtroom. This volume of the Report explores:
- Use of mobile devices in the courtroom
- Courtroom hardware, including display and audio tools, transcription and presentation of evidence
- Courtroom training
- Litigation software
- Online depositions
- Electronic filing
- Electronic discovery
Volume 4: Web and Communication Technology
This volume focuses on how lawyers communicate. It covers areas including:
- Websites
- E-lawyering and virtual law practices (VLOs)
- Blogging, Twitter and social media use by both firms and individual lawyers
- Email use, security, confidentiality and encryption
- Communication technologies
Volume 5: Online Research
Research has moved online, and the Report covers all types of legal research tools and explores how lawyers use these tools, including free online research resources, fee-based research tools, legal research performed away from the office, knowledge management and CLE with respect to online research.
Volume 6: Mobile Lawyers
Finally, volume 6 of the Report discusses issues related to lawyering on the go, including features and functions, security issues and operating systems for laptop computers, smartphones and tablets, as well as popular apps used by mobile lawyers, and the use of telecommuting and virtual offices.
The Legal Technology Survey Report can provide valuable insight into technology trends in the legal field. If you're considering an upgrade or want to find out what other firms are doing, you may want to check out one or more of these volumes, or wait for the executive summary.
Volumes 1 (Technology Basics) and 2 (Law Office Technology) are currently available for sale. The remaining volumes will be available for purchase later this month, and the complete combined edition and executive summary will be available in the ABA webstore in early August.
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