State Bar Technology In Law Practice Report

Although it was published in November, I recently discovered the State Bar of Wisconsin’s 2004 Technology in Law Practice Survey Report.
There were some interesting conclusions drawn which I’ve grouped by topic area:

Research

  • While nine in 10 members said they conduct legal research, two-thirds reported that other lawyers in the firm likewise do research. Not surprisingly, as the size of the firm and community increased, so did the likelihood of saying that a paralegal/legal assistant, law clerk or law librarian also conducted research.
  • When receiving substantive legal content, printed copy (43%) holds a slight edge over online (37%), while one-fifth have no preference.
  • More than one-third of members visit the WisBar Internet site several times per month or more frequently, while only 14% never visit it. However, visitation is more frequent among sole practitioners and smaller firms, and it declines as the size of firm and age of respondent increases.

Internet Access and Usage

  • Eight in 10 members access the Internet at both work and home.
  • Six in 10 offices now use either DSL (broadband) or T1 to connect to the Internet, while three in 10 use a cable (broadband) or dial-up via modem connection.
  • Three-fourths of members with Internet access use it on a monthly (40%) or less than monthly (34%) basis to purchase products or services, while 7% never use it for that purpose.