ABA's 2006 Legal Technology Survey

Law.com reported some of the highlights of the ABA's 2006 Legal Technology survey today. For those of you about to begin practice in the next year, it's worth taking a look at some of the technology trends described in the article.  First, a majority of surveyed attorneys are now using PDAs to stay in touch with clients and colleagues when they're away from the office.  Fifty-five percent of the surveyed lawyers are currently using a PDA, Blackberry, or smart phone when they're not at work.  In the 2004-05 survey, just 45 percent of respondents reported using these devices. When asked where they were using PDAs, 80 percent responded that they use them at home, 64 percent use them while traveling, 60 percent use them in hotels, and 58 percent use them in client offices. In fact, one respondent was so enamored with his PDA that he took the time to compose this ode to the device:  "In the elevator, in the hall, with a friend or in the stall, in the park or in the dark, I can use it here or there, I can use it anywhere."

Although continuing legal education programs about using technology in the courtroom seem to be everywhere these days, the survey responses seem to demonstrate that attorneys aren't so enthusiastic about using technology in the courtroom.  Sixty-four percent of the respondents reported that they did not use laptops in the courtroom.

The ABA isn't distributing free online copies of the survey, but ABA members can download free executive summaries of the lengthy survey at the ABA Legal Technology web page.