Brave New World10 Tips to Understanding and Ethically Capitalizing On the Evolving Legal Marketplace

• Dan Lear, Director of Industry Relations Avvo Inc

• dlear@avvo.com

• @rightbrainlaw

Stay in touch

Why?

1. Unbundling and Limited Scope Representation

• Why unbundle?• ABA Model Rule 1.2 (c)

adopted in every state• No opinion: AR, GA, HI,

ID, IN, MD, LA, MN, NH, ND, OH, OK, RI, SD, TX, VT, WY

Unbundling/Limited Scope in the US

2. The Cloud

• Ethics• Have opinions: AL, AZ,

CA, CT, FL, IA, ME, MA, NH, NJ, NV, NY, NC, OH, OR, PA, VT, VA, WA, WI

• A cautionary tale

The Cloud

3. Social Media

4. Social = SEO = Research?

An Intersection

5. Supply . . . meet demand

How lawyers market themselves:

22%

12%

12%10%

9%8%

8%7%

6%6%

LitigationReal EstateBusinessPersonal InjuryCriminal De-fenseFamilyEmployment / LaborEstate Planning

Source: Avvo Research – practice areas selected on Avvo

What consumers are looking for:

Source: Avvo Research – practice areas selected on Avvo

29%

19%

11%

9%

7%

6%

6%

5%4% 3% Criminal Defense

Immigration

DUI / DWI

Landlord / Tenant

Employment / Labor

Child Custody

Speeding / Traffic Ticket

Divorce / Separation

Car / Auto Accident

Family

Branding Matters

6. LLLT: Limited License Legal. . . what?

Law – Beyond the J.D.

7-9. Technology: It’s not just for kids anymore!

7. Technology: It’s ethical!

Comment 8 ABA Model Rule 1.1

[8] To maintain the requisite knowledge and skill, a lawyer should keep abreast of changes in the law and its practice, including the benefits and risks associated with relevant technology, engage in continuing study and education and comply with all continuing legal education requirements to which the lawyer is subject.

• Arizona• Arkansas• Connecticut• Delaware• Idaho• Kansas• Massachusetts

Adopted in14 States*

• Minnesota• New Mexico• North

Carolina**• Ohio• Pennsylvania• West Virginia• Wyoming

*Current as of March 2015**Differs slightly from ABA version

8. Technology: It’s financial!

Hitting the Bottom Line

9. Technology: It’s your job!

Suffolk/Flaherty Legal Tech Audit

10. Embrace your inner “hacker”

Finding your Inner Hacker (or Disruptor or Innovator)

Questions?

• Dan Lear, Director of Industry Relations Avvo Inc

• dlear@avvo.com

• @rightbrainlaw

Thank you