A posting at ethicalEsq?: suggests that online legal service delivery is constrained by a "guild mentality" of the legal profession. Quoting: "my experience looking at learned professions from the competition-consumer perspective tells me that the real culprit is the historic "guild" mentality, which fears and opposes virtually every type of innovation in services or marketing. This is especially true if most guild members see themselves as threatened with the loss of business and income, the need to become more efficient, or the pressure to engage in price or quality competition. " The author also points to his personal experience with professional peer pressure against his offering "affordable" alternatives to traditional legal services.
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In a comment at a note, "What Led to the Demise of So Many Online Legal Websites?" at eLawyerBlog.org, I noted that some progress in using online resources to deliver legal services and support is being made by nonprofits in the area of probono work. One with which I happen to be familiar is an international group that happens to be based here in Hartford, Lawyers Without Borders (LWOB). This nonprofit uses the Internet to connect lawyers in the developed world with non-governmental organizations ("NGO's") and over-worked lawyers in the developing world and in war-torn areas to provide support for human rights and rule of law efforts. Their example could be a model to other probono and public service organizations seeking to tap a variety of legal resources from wide-spread areas.
Removing the profit motive and fear of competition from more efficient delivery channels might make a big difference in the profession's attitude toward online delivery of legal services.
Posted by dougsimpson at September 25, 2003 09:29 AM | TrackBack