Track 3: The New Normal: How the University of Richmond School of Law is Using iPads and other Technology to Facilitate the Practice of Law

Go Back

Session Type: AALS Programs

Session Capacity: N/A

Location: N/A

Room: N/A

Floor: N/A

As
we consider the future in the “new normal,” we are aware of the pressure to
graduate “practice ready” students that has prompted clinical educators to
reassess the range of skills they introduce or reinforce in the clinical
setting.  At the University of Richmond, clinicians developed an iPad
Initiative to explore how tablet technology can enhance the delivery of legal
services through improved record keeping and increased efficiency.  We can
help participants find ways to integrate technology into their work for
clients.  We elected to integrate the use of iPads into our clinics for
two primary reasons.  First, traditional law school courses rarely address
practical issues of law office management, including how technology is used in
the legal setting.  Second, as we worked with other practitioners in the
community, we noticed that these lawyers routinely used iPads for scheduling,
case management, and research. We thought that the clinical setting was an
ideal one in which to train students in this important skill, with the
expectation that they would understand the technology that is now typically
used in the practice of law and that is especially essential in a small firm
environment. We will discuss how applications can enhance student efficiency
and facilitate effective and efficient record keeping.  We plan to
demonstrate the apps we use most often in our different clinics and discuss why
we chose those particular apps over others, as well as the advantages that
iPads and these apps provide in the clinic settings.