STATE BAR PRESIDENT STEPHEN P. YOUNGER URGES LEGAL
PROFESSION TO ADAPT TO CHANGING TIMES
ALBANY--At a ceremony commemorating Law Day 2011, New York State Bar
Association President Stephen P. Younger today cautioned that the legal
profession is undergoing a rapid evolution and called on lawyers to
identify and embrace ways to adapt to these sea-changes.
On hand for the event celebrating the legacy of John Adams were Chief
Judge Jonathan Lippman, Lt. Governor Robert Duffy and the esteemed
judges from the state Court of Appeals.
Mr. Younger (Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler, LLP) said,
“The legal profession is often characterized as being incapable of
quickly adapting to change. However, the lawyers who will thrive in this
season of rapid change will be those who heed John Adams’ call to
'let the human mind loose.'”
“We are called to be stewards of our evolving profession. And
we are called to help shape our profession’s future. By fulfilling
this duty, we can make sure the practice of law is not only just as
satisfying to us as it was to Adams, but also remains rewarding for
generations of lawyers to come,” Younger added.
In June 2010, upon taking office as president of the State Bar,
Younger created the Task Force on the Future of the Legal Profession. A
key presidential priority, Younger charged the group with evaluating the
changing profession; identifying the risks and opportunities presented;
and seeking a course that comports with the professional
responsibilities to clients and to the justice system and promotes
lawyers’ personal well-being.
The Task Force, comprising experts from a wide range of backgrounds,
issued its report and a series of recommendations in four key areas
highlighted below:
How New Lawyers Are Trained:
• So that new lawyers can better meet the demands of the
modern client, the Task Force recommends that they receive more
skills-based training.
• The Task Force also highlights the need for more
mentoring of new lawyers -- something that benefited Adams when he began
practicing law, Younger noted.
How the Profession Can Better Promote Balance in
Lawyers’ Professional and Personal Lives:
• To address the flexibility and predictability that
lawyers want in their personal and professional lives, the Task Force
recommends that employers should consider policies that encourage
flexible work arrangements and promote a healthy workplace.
Younger said, “Not only is it the right thing to do -- it makes
good economic sense. Law firms that commit to healthier work-life
balance for their lawyers will achieve better client relationships and
will reduce the cost associated with employee turnover.”
How Law Firms Should Relate to the Modern Client, Including
the Development of Alternative Billing Systems:
• To stay competitive, the Task Force recommends that law
firms examine their structures -- particularly in light of the growing
use of outsourcing and even virtual law offices.
• Firms also should consider expanding their use of
alternative fee arrangements which ensure value to our clients.
How Technology Impacts The Practice Of
Law:
• The Task Force recommends ways that law firms can
harness technology to their advantage through better training and
enhanced access to new technologies.
Younger also stressed that John Adams was a champion of access to
justice who once said “If we do not lay out ourselves in the
service of mankind, whom should we serve?" Younger took the Law Day
opportunity applaud the efforts of Chief Judge Lippman in promoting
access to justice for all New Yorkers. He also congratulated Gov. Cuomo
and Lt. Gov. Duffy for getting Albany moving again.
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