The plenary general session offered an interesting perspective of technology in the legal industry by a panel of judges. The session titled, “Why the Legal Industry Needs to Change and Embrace Technology,” was moderated by Joseph FitzGerald of Symantec Corporation and featured Hon. Dennis M. Sweeney, Hon. David J. Waxse, and Hon. Ron Hedges.
The judges discussed such issues as evolving industry standards and what one referred to as the “consumerization” of IT – where employees (and their employers) seek to consolidate personal and work-related applications, devices, etc. and the ramifications of that.
Judge Waxse discussed the need to use technology in the context of having “just, speedy and inexpensive” trials, reminding the audiences that case issues should drive the use of technology which means that counsel must agree at the onset of exactly what those issues ultimately are.
Judge Sweeney talked about the impact of social media on trials, sharing some interesting examples of jurors being disqualified mid-trial as a result of their activities on social networking outlets including Facebook and Twitter. His Honor advised that lawyers need to catch up to modern day juries in the ways of technology – a good suggestion as it will help them better serve their clients in the long run.
