Legal futurist and IT visionary Richard Susskind offers his predictions about the future of the law in “Hold on to your seats, change is getting faster,” an article posted on Times Online. Susskind paints a vivid picture of the ways in which he anticipates technological advances will continue to radically transform legal practice.

According to Susskind,

The foundations of dispute resolution will be rocked by a combination of electronic disclosure, e-filing in the courts and online dispute resolution. Legal education and training, along with knowledge management, will be reconceived and reshaped by e-learning and online community. At the same time, the working relationships between lawyers and their clients will mutate beyond recognition, as they come under the one virtual roof and operate under a new order of online collaboration and communication.

(Thanks to the odr.info weblog for the link.)

Also, for an exploration of a rapidly developing interdisciplinary movement in the law, read Professor of Law Susan Daicoff’s “Law as a Healing Profession: The ‘Comprehensive Law Movement’“. This article examines the converging forces of collaborative law, creative problem solving, restorative justice, transformative mediation, and other related fields that comprise a movement which seeks to revolutionize the legal system and the delivery of justice.

A number of law bloggers, including Kevin O’Keefe at LexBlog, are buzzing about the informal survey the ABA Section of Litigation conducted last month on lawyers and blogging, which revealed that 57% of attorneys who responded reported that they read blogs regularly.

Although I’m generally a glass-is-half-full kind of person, this means that a sizeable number–43%–aren’t regular readers. Bummer.

One lawyer said bluntly, “I don’t read editorials in newspapers so why should I waste my time reading people’s opinions online?”

Although it may be unfair of me to say this (seeing as how I’m someone who actually does read newspaper editorials), people who don’t read blogs don’t know what they’re missing. Law blogs are an invaluable source of the latest news, ideas, and analysis–not to mention inspiration–something no professional can afford to miss out on.

But I’m a realist. I know that reading blogs takes time out of a busy day. For professionals whose lives are bound by calendar and clock, every minute must count.

So, what busy attorneys and mediators should be reading is Blawg Review, the weekly review of law blogging.

Here are 4 compelling reasons why:

1. Blawg Review keeps you current

Attorneys and ADR practitioners alike know how important it is to stay on top of the latest developments in the fields we practice in. And many of us who are in the ADR field ply our trade within the shadow of the courthouse or even under the courthouse roof. Since the law influences, informs, and even inspires much of our work, knowing what’s happening in the legal world keeps us competitive. And Blawg Review serves as one-stop shopping for the latest word on legal affairs.

2. Blawg Review is free

‘Nuff said.

3. Blawg Review takes care of business

Whether you’re an attorney or a mediator, you know that the work you do isn’t just a calling, or an art. It’s a business, too. And staying abreast of the latest business trends is key.

Blawg Review keeps the entrepreneur connected. To see what I mean, check out Blawg Review #40, hosted by Small Business Trends earlier this month.

4. Blawg Review makes you smarter (and fun at cocktail parties)

As one respondent to the ABA survey put it,

“I am still a student and find the academic and professional blawgs a great supplement to what I learn in the classroom. It’s nice to have access to the latest thoughts from practitioners and scholars in virtual realtime. I feel like a virtual student/protege.”

(Side benefit: Your increased knowledge will also make you a scintillating conversationalist at social gatherings.)

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Don’t believe me? See for yourself at this week’s Blawg Review, hosted at Kevin Thompson’s Cyberlaw Central, where you can find answers to “life, the universe and everything”.

To see a list of past hosts and upcoming ones, visit the Blawg Review web site. For submission guidelines, click here. To host the party yourself, you can click here.

(In the interests of full disclosure, I should probably mention that I’m hosting Blawg Review next Monday. Looking forward to your submissions!)

The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.