Getting to Know the Client is the Biggest Challenge for BigLaw in Next 5 Years

Above the Law recently interview Larren M Nashelsky of Morrison Foerster, the law firm otherwise known as MoFo. What a cool name.

They put to Larren 10 questions; but here's what I regard as the most important and the most telling about where the high end legal profession is going in the next half decade. Above the Law asked:

"What is the greatest challenge to the legal industry over the next 5 years?"

Larren responds:

"To constantly demonstrate to clients the value of high-end legal services. In doing so, Biglaw needs to continue to push itself to better understand its clients’ business, culture, work style, industry, and markets. Then we need to use that information and knowledge to provide clients with, what in their eyes, is value."

See the interview in full here. 

Northern Ireland Law Society Talks Social Media

Compared to the Law Society in England and Wales and the one in Scotland, Northern Ireland's solicitor regulatory body has been pretty quiet on the matter and question of social media.

However it hasn't gone without mention and it appears that the Law Society in Northern Ireland is at least open to the idea of solicitors and law firms in Northern Ireland using and getting to grips with social media. How do I know this. Well because of an advertisement I found on Google that referred to a social media seminar for law firms to be hosted by the NI Law Society in June 2012.

The June 11 event was advertised here, and was hosted by the Law Society's Communication Officer, Paul O'Connor and Tim McKane of Belfast digital media agency, Novajo Talk.

From Zero to 140: the Law's Fastest Interview with Pat Ellis

This is the law's fastest cross-examination where the respondent has to posit an answer using between zero and 140 characters.

Today's first ever interviewee is Pat Ellis who tweets from @Sparty_Legal. Here it goes:

Brian John Spencer: What are you up to right now?

Pat Ellis: Monday morning in law school: lots of reading, writing, and coffee. It is also very cold here in MI today... so I'm trying to stay warm.