In his most recent book, The End of Lawyers?: Rethinking the
Nature of Legal Services (Oxford University Press, 2008),
legal scholar and law futurist Richard Susskind discusses a number
of disruptive technologies that, collectively, "will fundamentally
change the face of legal services."
Susskind's list of technologies that will disrupt law practice
includes e-learning. He predicts, and we are seeing evidence, that
legal e-learning will "most obviously … transform the way in
which lawyers, at all levels, are educated and trained." Already,
the American Bar Association allows credit for 12 hours of distance
education toward the JD.1
For you, as practicing lawyers, e-learning is transforming
continuing legal education from traditional, "just-in-case" courses
and seminars to "just-in-time" knowledge, that, Susskind says, "is
at the fingertips of lawyers, delivered electronically, and easy to
assimilate and apply." This transformation is accelerating through
innovative ways and means of e-learning, making relevant,
up-to-date information more widely available - including law
office and practice management offerings.
The following are but a few examples of e-learning portals with
especially useful law office management options, each of which can
help transform your practice, allowing you to provide your clients
with more and better value.
- Solo Practice University,
a web-based educational community designed to teach the basics of
running a solo practice, has a number of courses on management,
marketing and technology. Access to the courses is available via
monthly, quarterly or yearly subscriptions, each of which entitles
you to unlimited courses during the subscription period. Added
benefits include substantive coursework, a networking community of
similarly situated practitioners, and previews of course
syllabi.
- Legal Talk Network,
an online media network, features free, original, professionally
produced podcasts with high-profile guests in an easy talk show
format. A number of the network's regular shows are devoted to
practice management issues, including The Un-billable Hour, Law
Technology Now, Legal Three Point Oh! and Legal Toolkit. Podcasts
are available on-demand not only through the network's website, but
in a host of user-friendly and portable options, including ITunes
U, free RSS subscriptions and various social media sites.
- Concord Law School's online Small Business Practice LLM
is designed for those who want an in-depth study of the legal
issues unique to small business, an area often overlooked in law
school. The part-time program is delivered completely online, with
downloadable lectures, synchronous classes and electronic course
materials, by both practitioners and academics from around the
country. The curriculum includes not only courses dedicated to the
issues that are especially important to start-up enterprises and
small firms, but a strong focus on the law firm as a small business
itself, with a law practice management course co-taught by two of
the country's experts.
- West LegalEdcenter
provides access not only to practice management and other CLE, but
live conferences and seminars, more than 7,000 online courses,
compliance tracking for each state, and various learning management
tools. Courses are available at virtually every price point, as are
annual flat-fee subscriptions, and are searchable in multiple ways,
including by topic and states of accreditation. Perhaps most
terrific about West's portal is the breadth of their content
partners, resulting in the provision of programs from outstanding
local, state and national bar associations, legal and academic
groups, available in one place and delivered right to your
desk.
These are only a tiny sample of the more sophisticated and
accessible means of learning better and more efficient practice
management ideas and skills. As you search for new and innovative
learning tools, don't overlook the blogosphere. It can be daunting,
as there are an increasing number of sites dedicated to these
issues; but with a bit of research and a few RSS subscriptions, you
will have expert advice on management, technology and marketing
delivered daily to your computer.
A good starting place for research is the ABA's GP Solo Blog list
or the
Blawg Directory.
A lesser-known favorite of mine is the Massachusetts Law Office
Management Assistance Program's blog,
which provides quality content (always with appropriate humor) and
expert guest posts from around the country.
Adapting the famous words of science fiction writer William
Gibson, "The future [of e-learning for lawyers] is already here.
It's just not very evenly distributed." Fortunately for you, the
distribution channels are increasing and improving, offering more
and more accessible, flexible and affordable means of lifelong
learning.
Ellen Murphy, JD, is the program director of the Small
Business Practice LL.M. at Kaplan University's Concord Law School,
as well as the developer and professor for the school's Cross
Profession Ethics course.
1ABA Accreditation Standard 306, Distance Education,
www.abanet.org/legaled/distanceeducation/distance.html.