It is cliché at this point to say the practice of law is changing at a breakneck pace. But having practiced law for as long as I have—going on four decades—rarely a day goes by where I don’t encounter some advancement in technology, some innovative marketing technique, or some cutting-edge management theory that makes me shake my head in amazement about how fast our industry is moving.

While it is important for us lawyers to stay abreast of the changes in the legal industry, it is crucial that we stay abreast of the changes in society that impact the people who turn to us for legal services. Some legal practices, like cruise ship personal injury practices and other travel-based practices, saw demand bottom out during the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Others, like high-volume car accident personal injury practices or DUI practices, are seeing a slow but consistent decrease in demand thanks to ride-sharing services—aside from any dip in demand they saw thanks to the pandemic. That demand might further decrease when autonomous cars are more commonplace and if federal legislation requiring breathalyzers in cars becomes law.