Blog Posts in the 'Special Edition' Category

Benjamin Franklin said, “A man wrapped up in himself makes a very small bundle.” If this is true, then Benjamin was as large as the British Empire because he understood that collective intelligence was greater than his own. He was a collaborator. He exchanged thousands of letters with intellectuals in Europe and the colonies. In fact his letters to Peter Collinson became the foundation for the publication of Experiments and Observations on Electricity in 1751. Although Benjamin is best known for his experimentation with electricity, he also collaborated with scientists on topics such as lead toxicity, meteorology, and oceanography.

Among Franklin’s inventions were the lightning rod, a musical instrument, swimming fins, bifocal glasses, the Franklin stove, an odometer, and even a flexible urinary catheter. He never patented his inventions. He said, “as we enjoy great advantages from the inventions of others, we should be glad of an opportunity to serve others by any invention of ours, and this we should do freely and generously.”

Benjamin was a prolific writer. He published The Pennsylvania Gazette in 1729 and Poor Richard’s Almanac in 1733. He understood the power of the printed word, and began to use it to persuade the public. In one instance he sold the public on the idea of building a public hospital. Later he was able to convince the colonists that they should be free of British rule.

During the 1700s Benjamin had to rely on the slow delivery of letters and the limited distribution of content through newspapers. Although 10,000 copies of Poor Richard’s Almanac were sold per year, imagine the distribution of content he could have achieved with the internet.

If Franklin were alive today he would have a massive audience and a great reservoir of resources from which to draw. He would love Wikipedia, as he was the founder of the first public lending library.

He would undoubtedly have a blog, and would read and comment on other blogs. I am confident that he would publish controversial ideas, not just popular ideas. And while he would encourage everyone to have a voice, he would use his powers of persuasion to unite everyone for the common good.

Benjamin Franklin said, “Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.” Franklin did both. It is through his extensive writings that we know so much about him. And even today he is worth writing about, not only for his inventions, but for his belief in the power of communities. He would have loved the internet as a platform for distributing his persuasive writing, and for learning from others.

Like Henry Ford’s assembly line transformed the automobile industry, the internet is revolutionizing the legal industry. The internet has made it possible for consumers to research legal matters, find attorneys, and even buy legal documents online. It has also changed the game by enabling attorneys to utilize outsourcing, software-as-a-service (SaaS), and internet marketing.

Companies such as LegalZoom are using the internet to offer inexpensive legal services. The services include incorporation, wills, and trademarks. There is no face-to-face interaction with Legal Zoom. The client simply answers questions online, and a document is created.

Legal Zoom has been under attack by lawyers in particular. They have also been sued for the unauthorized practice of law. In commenting on an article about the lawsuit attorney Sharmil McKee says, “If we embrace the technology behind Legal Zoom (document automation) and couple it with competent legal advice, we can provide cost-effective legal advice to the public.” Likewise, attorney Nathan Workman advocates using a document created by LegalZoom as a springboard for business. He says, “….an estate planning attorney could advertise that his or her firm will review any document produced by Legal Zoom for a nominal fee (a “second opinion” service).”

Richard Susskind, author of The End of Lawyers?, agrees with building on existing developments, instead of fighting them. He believes that lawyers need to move from a bespoke model to commoditization. In other words, they need to abandon custom-fit in favor of one-size-fits-all. This is similar to what Henry Ford did for the model-T. Instead of building spec cars for the wealthy he built mass production cars, and made them accessible to everyone. In a similar manner the shift towards commoditization will result in greater affordability of legal services.

Richard says, “Clients are requiring more for less.” In order to meet client demands, the legal industry is capitalizing on the internet. First, law firms are outsourcing legal services to places like India, where the labor is cheaper. Furthermore, firms are setting up virtual law offices and saving money by working at home. Finally, firms are using software-as-a-service (SaaS) to cut costs. They are using SaaS for document sharing and for law practice management.

In addition to the way that attorneys are using the internet, the legal industry is being shaped by the way that consumers of legal services are using the internet. People are turning to the internet to research legal matters and to find attorneys. This means that attorneys must have a web presence in order to be found. In a podcast, New Rainmaking Tricks Even Old Dogs Can’t Afford to Ignore, legal marketer Stephen Fairley says, “Word-of-mouth is not enough anymore” and, “You can’t ignore the internet anymore.” He believes that an internet presence is essential because of the hyper competition between attorneys for clients.

In conclusion, the legal industry is being revolutionized by the internet. Technology is enabling consumers to get legal services online, to research legal matters, and to shop for attorneys. The web is assisting lawyers to move towards the commoditization of legal services through opportunities like outsourcing, setting up a virtual law office, and utilizing SaaS solutions. Lawyers who are embracing internet technology are surviving the buyer’s market. Luddites are not.