Future Law

Can Technology Facilitate Clear Communication?

Humans are the most able communicators on the planet. Yet, many would argue that we just are not that good at it. We find it hard to listen intently to what the other person is saying, figure out how you can contribute or assist in the outcome, and then tailor your own communication appropriately. Those who do this well not only make good lawyers, they make good leaders.

Today, we explore how technology intersects with our methods and content of communications. In the legal profession, we are presented with novel tools to better meet the needs of our clients and change the way legal services are delivered. But can computers communicate any better? Or is the real question can computers help us communicate better?

A Communication Tool Accessible To All?

Thomas HamiltonAt this year’s The Future is Now: Legal Services 2.018 conference, Thomas Hamilton (@tjhammy), VP of Strategy and Operations at ROSS Intelligence (@ROSSIntel), will take the stage to explain how artificial intelligence (AI) has not only arrived in the legal profession, it can already serve as a relevant tool for even solo and small firm practitioners. Hamilton will reveal for the audience how AI can level the playing field for all legal professionals, so they may work smarter, not harder.

Yet, lawyers should not blindly employ the tools of technology to service our clients. For example, various legal research providers all yield dramatically different results when given the same search terms. If computers are giving us the results, and humans wrote the algorithms to instruct the computers, what assumptions and biases may be built into those algorithms?

Communication is a Process

Susan Nevelow MartSusan Nevelow Mart, Associate Professor & Director of Law Library at University of Colorado Law School (@ColoLaw), will discuss her research finds on such variations of legal search results. Professor Mart will bring the human element to the forefront of the future law conversation at our conference. She will aptly remind us that communication is a process, and we can leverage the variability to our benefit in our practice.

The Future is Now: Legal Services 2.018 conference is May 2, 2018 at VenueSIX10, 610 S. Michigan Avenue, Chicago from 10 am to 4:45 pm with a reception to follow. The conference qualifies for five hours of professional responsibility CLE, including one half hour of diversity-inclusion CLE.

Please register before we reach capacity!

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