E-Poll

Where is the legal profession headed in the 21st century? Here's what our readers say.

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	100% Agree 0% Disagree	1. Technology will allow attorneys to serve clients more efficiently than ever before. Comments: "I used to think 3M Post-it pads were the greatest technological advancement in the practice of law. Things keep progressing, mainly for the better."
	0% Agree 100% Disagree	2. Using the Internet and off-the-shelf software, clients will be able to find their own answers to legal questions. They will not need lawyers anymore. Comments: "There are many clients who will always need lawyers, in part because they need someone to talk to about their situation. Lawyers help clients deal with emotional/psychological issues that arise as part of legal problems, and this function cannot be met through simply making information available to clients." "It's like me using a plumbing handbook to 'help' out at home. Self-help frequently gets clients in more trouble. At least they can become more aware of the need for legal help."
	100% Agree 0% Disagree	3. I need technology to practice effectively; I could not practice in the typewriter-and-carbon-paper era.
	34% Agree 66% Disagree	4. Enough already! I don't care if the attorney down the hall can process words faster or click more email than I can. I want to get back to work.
	66% Agree 34% Disagree	5. The millennium is a non-event. The same qualities that made one a good lawyer in 1800 will make one a good lawyer in 2000 and beyond. Comments: "This depends on your definition of a 'good' lawyer. The qualities that are currently valued (e.g., rainmaking) are not necessarily the same as what was valued in the past." "Character, honesty, intelligence, and reliability have always been important and will be important. A good lawyer in 1800 also knew calligraphy, or at least had good handwriting. That quality, fortunately, is not necessary today."