| Chapter 1 - The Necessity for Automating the Practice of Law |
Dramatic Increase in the Number of Lawyers
Since 1776, the number of lawyers has increased to almost a million practitioners and firm sizes have increased dramatically. The increase in lawyers since 1970 has been unprecedented. Law schools are graduating more than 35,000 attorneys per year.
This is occurring in the midst of a technology revolution that is changing the way we practice law. This increase in lawyers, digital technology changes, and the downward pressure on the billable hour will significantly impact the practice of law.
| “The present technology has vast implications for young lawyers and for legal education. I personally believe we have 60% too many lawyers today when you consider what can be done with technology. This means that there will be survival of the fittest. The few survivors will be those who can do things that others cannot. The survivors will have the field to themselves.” - Fred Bartlitt, Jr. | Year | # Of Lawyers In America | Firm Sizes | Fees | Pleadings | Litigation Materials | Caselaw & Statutes | 1776 | Unknown | Small | Value Based | Quill Pen & Paper | Manual Index & Paper | Books | 1865 | Unknown | Small | Value Based | Quill Pen & Paper | Manual Index & Paper | Books | 1915 | 120,000 | Small | Value Based | Fountain Pen & Paper | Manual Index & Paper | Books | 1950 | 160,000 | Small | Value Based | Typewriter & Paper | Manual Index & Paper | Books | 1960 | 209,000 | Increased | Billable Hour | Typewriter & Paper | Manual Index & Paper | Books | 1985 | 620,000 | Increased | Billable Hour & Value Billing | Typewriters, Computers & Paper | Electronic Index & Paper | Books & Electronic Research | 1995 | 800,000 | Reduced | Billable Hour & Value Billing | Computers Paper | Electronic Index & Images (paperless) | Electronic Research | 2000 | 1,100,000 | Reduced | Value Billing Billable Hour? | Computers & Paper? | Electronic Index & Images (paperless) | Electronic Research |
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Ch.1 - Automating the Practice 
