In-House

Expert Analysis

• Why Process Management Is Critical To Legal Tech Adoption

  Corporate legal departments looking to implement new technology can avoid hiccups by taking steps to define the underlying business problem and to identify opportunities for process improvements before leaping to the automation stage, say Nadine Ezzie at Ezzie + Co., Kenneth Jones at Xerdict Group and Kathy Zhu at Streamline AI.

• Series

  Ask A Mentor: How Can I Support Gen Z Attorneys?

  Meredith Beuchaw at Lowenstein Sandler discusses how senior attorneys can assist the newest generation of attorneys by championing their pursuit of a healthy work-life balance and providing the hands-on mentorship opportunities they missed out on during the pandemic.

• Advice For Summer Associates Uneasy About Offer Prospects

  There are a few communication tips that law students in summer associate programs should consider to put themselves in the best possible position to receive an offer, and firms can also take steps to support those to whom they are unable to make an offer, says Amy Mattock at Georgetown University Law Center.

• How Law Firms Can Cautiously Wield AI To Streamline Tasks

  Many attorneys are going to use artificial intelligence tools whether law firms like it or not, so firms should educate them on AI's benefits, limits and practical uses, such as drafting legal documents, to remain competitive in a rapidly evolving legal market, say Thomas Schultz and Eden Bernstein at Kellogg Hansen.

• Keys To Managing The Stresses Of Law School

  Dealing with the pressures associated with law school can prove difficult for many future lawyers, but there are steps students can take to manage stress — and schools can help too, say Ryan Zajic and Dr. Janani Krishnaswami at UWorld.

• 10 Steps To Improve Legal Vendor Management

  Corporate counsel often turn to third-party vendors to manage spending challenges, and navigating this selection process can be difficult for both counsel and the vendor, but there are several ways corporate legal departments can make the entire process easier and beneficial for all parties involved, says David Cochran at QuisLex.

• Can Mandatory CLE Mitigate Implicit Bias's Negative Impacts?

  Amid ongoing disagreements on whether states should mandate implicit bias training as part of attorneys' continuing legal education requirements, Stephanie Wilson at Reed Smith looks at how unconscious attitudes or stereotypes adversely affect legal practice, and whether mandatory training programs can help.

• Ditch The Frills And Start Writing Legal Letters In Plain English

  To become more effective advocates, lawyers need to rethink the ridiculous, convoluted language they use in correspondence and write letters in a clear, concise and direct manner, says legal writing instructor Stuart Teicher.

• Series

  Ask A Mentor: How Can I Negotiate My Separation Agreement?

  Kate Reder Sheikh at Major Lindsey discusses how a law firm associate can navigate being laid off, what to look for in a separation agreement and why to be upfront about it with prospective employers.

• DoNotPay Cases Underscore Hurdles For AI-Fueled Legal Help

  Recent legal challenges against DoNotPay’s "robot lawyer” application highlight pressing questions about the degree to which artificial intelligence can be used for legal tasks while remaining on the right side of both consumer protection laws and prohibitions against the unauthorized practice of law, says Kristen Niven at Frankfurt Kurnit.

• For The Future Of Legal Practice, Let's Learn From The Past

  At some level, every practicing lawyer is experiencing the ever-increasing speed of change — and while some practice management processes have gotten more efficient, other things about the legal profession were better before supposed improvements were made, says Jay Silberblatt, president of the Pennsylvania Bar Association.

• Why All Law Firms Should Foster Psychological Capital

  Law firms will be able to reap great long-term benefits if they adopt strategies to nurture four critical components of their employees' psychological wellness and performance — hope, efficacy, resilience and optimism, says Dennis Stolle at the American Psychological Association.

• A GC's Guide To Litigation, Inspired By Sun Tzu's 'Art Of War'

  With caseloads and spending increasing, in-house counsel might find themselves called to opine on the risks and benefits of litigation more often, and they should look at five Sun Tzu maxims from the ancient Chinese classic "The Art of War" to inform their approach to any suit, says Jeff Golimowski at Womble Bond.

• ChatGPT Is A Cool Trick, But AI Won't Replace Lawyers

  Generative AI applications like ChatGPT are unlikely to ever replace attorneys for a variety of practical reasons — but given their practice-enhancing capabilities, lawyers who fail to leverage these tools may be rendered obsolete, says Eran Kahana at Maslon.

• Pro Bono Work Is Valuable In IP And Continued Learning

  The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's recent elimination of a rule that partially counted pro bono work toward continuing legal education highlights the importance of volunteer work in intellectual property practice and its ties to CLE, and puts a valuable tool for hands-on attorney education in the hands of the states, say Lisa Holubar and Ariel Katz at Irwin.