Digital Current Blog

As I pull up my chair in the conference room, I am reminded of the technological advancements in the business community over the past five years. No longer do I have to catch a 6 a.m. flight for a single day of meetings or lug documents and material with me as I go.

In this day of "anytime, anywhere" technology, I have the ability to show my face to the audience, share my documents with colleagues and collaborate with subject experts, all from the comfort of my office. It makes me wonder... how far are we from conducting other transactions and affairs in our life, in a virtual environment?

I recently ran across this article that describes a virtual health environment in the not so distant future.

During this economic crisis I always think of two things;

1. Are there any recession proof businesses?
2. How has a recession impacted the legal community?

I have come to the conclusion that no businesses or industries, including legal, are recession proof. The old adage that "people are still suing each other" is quickly shifting in methodology. During these economic times, companies are looking for ways to control their legal costs by improving their internal investigations and reducing the necessity for litigation. I think law firms, just like other industries, are forced to become creative with their services and add value where ever possible.

I found this article written by Chaton T. Turner, assistant counsel for the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. She discusses the positive effects of UPMC's Alternative Dispute Resolution, both in terms of customer satisfaction and reduced cost compared to litigation.