We all sometimes believe we know more than what we really do understand. Despite scholarly warnings about that tendency, it continues to mislead us. Now that same error is threatening the legal profession.

In the spring 2018 edition of ABA’s Journal of the Section of Litigation, Robert E. Shapiro writes “What’s So Special About a New Jersey Lawyer, Anyway.” Shapiro argues that there is no need to consult with a lawyer admitted in a jurisdiction other than your own when advising on a transaction governed by that foreign jurisdiction’s law. He claims: “Time was that a Delaware specialist was necessary to tell you about Delaware law. Now you can educate yourself. All Delaware law is no more than a few mouse clicks away on the internet.”