Lawyers have come a long way since the days when their secretaries printed their e-mails and despairing IT directors begged to place PCs on mahogany desk tops. Now, armed with enviable discretionary income and an obvious taste for gadgets, lawyers have embraced the latest gear; few self-respecting partners stride into business class without their Kindle, iPad or Android phone in hand. Adding irony to their digital conversions, they’re demanding an end to the separation between their personal and professional gear. They have, in short, put the “i” in IT.
What’s not to love about a world in which lawyer blogs devoted to iPhone apps outnumber Paris Hilton’s court appearances? For one thing, consumer devices — as useful as they may be — complicate the IT picture. They have to be integrated, supported, and, not least significantly, paid for. And, let’s face it, the timing could be better. The recession hammered IT budgets and staff levels. Firms want to integrate, support, and pay for fewer systems, not more.
