Lawyers as a group have the reputation for being slow to adopt new technology. However, when the smartphone emerged, they quickly jumped on board. And due to cloud computing, lawyers are able to work anywhere, using their smartphones and tablets. Wearable technologies like the Apple Watch, other smart watches, and Google Glass seem to be relatively popular in the legal field. So why do lawyers love wearables, how are they using them, and what does the future of wearable technology look like?
In this episode of The Legal Toolkit, Jared Correia interviews lawyer and legal technology expert Nicole Black about how and why lawyers adopt mobile and wearable technology, how they are using tablets, smartphones, and smart watches in their practice, the role of cloud computing, and what to watch for in the legal ethics of wearables. Black discusses how the spread of cloud computing has made mobile computing possible by reducing battery and storage constraints. From there, she says, smart watches are the lawyers’ solution to impolite interruptions and the inconvenience of situations in which phones are not allowed. Also, most people are comfortable wearing a watch already (we used to wear them before smartphones). Black believes smart watches will be the gateway to Google Glass, or something similar, as we all become more comfortable with the constant presence of technology. Tune in to learn about some amazing ways lawyers have already used wearable technology and some ethical factors to consider.