The legal profession is one of the oldest professions in the world and is one of the last professions to move into the 21st Century. Attorneys are being drug to the use of the internet kicking and screaming. Recent, younger and more tech savvy, law students are tactfully making pitches to their senior partners to test the waters of practices, techniques and services that utilize the internet and social media. Even the American Bar Association, state Bar associations, and specialized Bar associations around the country are making efforts to push the advancements of the internet and social media on their stubborn members. It is just a matter of time before an attorney will be sued for malpractice due to him or her not keeping up with technological changes including the use of the internet and social media.

The internet's strengths include speed, immediacy, and a complete disregard for physical distance. These strengths can make an attorney's practice less stressful, less time consuming and CHEAPER. Research on any case can be performed from anywhere in the country. Individual contact and communication no longer requires close proximity. Research no longer has to wait for business working hours.

Today's research is not like your grandfather's research. It is more efficient, more accurate, superior in results and less costly. Finally, attorneys should not shy away from using new school techniques and services just because today's research is priced at just a fraction of the price of the old school research. Do not look a gift horse in the mouth. Taking a cross country trip cost peoples' lives and months of travel time in the 1800's, today the same trip's cost is the price of a Southwest Airline ticket, about six hours and the occasional annoyance of a crying baby or loudmouth passenger.

I ask you...if you can win more cases, settle cases faster and for higher dollar amounts, have less stress in your practice, go home earlier, put more money in the bank, would that not make your life happier? To all of you attorneys who have not yet accepted new technology in your practice, technology is there to enhance your life. Try it...you'll like it!!