{"id":179436,"date":"2018-09-19T10:53:00","date_gmt":"2018-09-19T15:53:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ntegrait.com\/what-are-4-trends-to-watch-to-succeed-in-the-legal-field\/"},"modified":"2018-09-19T10:53:00","modified_gmt":"2018-09-19T15:53:00","slug":"what-are-4-trends-to-watch-to-succeed-in-the-legal-field","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ntegrait.com\/what-are-4-trends-to-watch-to-succeed-in-the-legal-field\/","title":{"rendered":"What Are 4 Trends to Watch to Succeed in the Legal Field?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Discipline, honor, tradition, and excellence\u2014these could previously be described as the foundation of the legal profession. After decades of consistency, however, the field of law is experiencing an extensive transformation with far-reaching effects. For better or worse, much of this has been attributed to the millennial generation: those individuals born between the early 1980s and 2000.<\/p>\n

\"Lawyers<\/p>\n

In the TIME article titled: \u201cThe Me Me Me Generation<\/a>,\u201d Millennials are described in the following way:<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re narcissistic. They\u2019re lazy. They\u2019re coddled. They\u2019re even a bit delusional. Those aren\u2019t just unfounded negative stereotypes about 80 million Americans born roughly between 1980 and 2000. They\u2019re backed up by a decade of sociological research.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, other research has suggested that this generation is responding to an evolving world defined in part by rapid technological changes. Millennials have become the largest generation wielding a projected spending power of $1.4 trillion by 2020. Attorneys and law firms that wish to succeed in the future should take note of these current trends, which are anticipated to continue.<\/p>\n

How Have Millennials Changed the Legal Landscape?<\/strong><\/p>\n

There are many ways that this demographic has influenced changes in how most business is done. This includes business conducted within the legal profession. These changes are evident in response to millennial members of the legal profession, as well as clients of that age group.<\/p>\n

First, perhaps above everything, Millennials appreciate the flexibility. They prefer using technology that allows them to work remotely and set their own hours. Billable hours, routine, and face-to-face interactions are less of a priority.<\/p>\n

Second, members of this generation require frequent feedback. Whether as a client or a colleague, they prefer platforms where they can monitor progress. Associates also want a clear view of how they are performing in real time.<\/p>\n

Third, Millennials value information. They are more likely to want to know the \u201cbig picture\u201d rather than being satisfied to just follow protocol. They want to know \u201cwhy\u201d certain practices are in place. Additionally, they are likely to research employers, colleagues, and clients, etc. A quick google search helps them to determine which firm to hire or work for.<\/p>\n

In What Ways Did the Information Age Change the Way Data is Managed?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Rather than file cabinets full of hard-copy documents, and legal teams scrambling to find them, today\u2019s law offices depend more heavily on digital platforms. With the enormous volume of data in a variety of formats, it has become increasingly more important for law offices to take advantage of cutting-edge technology.<\/p>\n

Contemporary online data management rooms<\/a> handle PDFs of paper documents, electronic documents, emails, social-media postings, and text messages. Innovative technologies allow small firms to compete with larger companies like never before. A few of the most popular include the following:<\/p>\n