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their firms and clients on the outside. That has prompted him to join an expanding group of lawyers experimenting with new tools to keep ahead of the pack. Like most sophisticated, modern firms, Stikemans has a searchable database that allows lawyers to use templates and precedents to a greater extent than ever before. They also benefit from an intranet filled with the firm's previous work product and intellectual property, which cuts down on research time. But that's just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the ability of technology to save time. "The hardware devices we use, from the BlackBerry to logging in remotely from Citrix to VPN [virtual private network]," have played a huge role in gaining efficiencies, he says. "We're piloting iPhones, iPads, and basically looking at all different ways of getting connectivity and managing the flow of information." This type of technology allows lawyers to get all the work done "they've signed up for," as Belovich says, in a seamless shift from personal time to work time. It essentially allows them to work wherever they are, fostering some bizarre settings for the completion of legal work. Take Belovich's recent vacation to Italy: While on a 25-kilometre hike, he was able to whip out his iPad from a backpack, and stop on the side of the road to par- ticipate in a conference call. When that was done, he tossed the tablet computer back in his bag, and along he went for the rest of the journey. If not for that technology, he likely would have Subscribe today to Canadian Lawyer Canadian Lawyer is the ultimate source for today's legal professional. Keep up to date and informed by subscribing today for only $65 a year! Cover story Along with 11 issues packed with insights, trends and analysis, you'll also receive access to Canadian Lawyer's exclusive digital edition and digital edition archives, available only to registered subscribers. You'll stay up to date on breaking news between issues with Canadian Legal Newswire, our free weekly e-newsletter that is edited by our legal reporting team. canadianlawyermag.com Subscribe online at SubscriSubscribe on online at canadianlawyermag.com 1 year of Canadian Lawyer for only $65.00 (Total with HST: $73.45) 2 years of Canadian Lawyer for only $130.00 (Total with HST: $146.90) Sub_CL_Nov_10 - 1/4.indd 1 LEGAL FE LEGAL FEES Y SURVEY P.36 NTR FE ry OFFSHO FINAN CENTR ANC TR OFFSHORE FINANCIAL CENTRES P.28 HO NC Law Of ce Management ce Management TH HST ISTHE HST IS THE HST THE HST IS COMING P..21MING 21G 2 Top Court Tales SHOW ME THE MONEY P.16 June 2010 $7.00 been holed up at his hotel for much of the day awaiting the call, or absent from a key meeting. So although modern technology, in the form of new com- munications tools, have raised client expectations, it has also allowed lawyers to restore some balance in their lives and get things done in a timely, efficient manner. And there are always ways to use technology to greater benefits. "You can't rest on your laurels," says Belovich. "We're constantly looking at ways to leverage the new technology and really redefining our work processes and our workflows, and looking at it and saying, 'OK, this is how we've historically done things, how can we do it smarter? How can we use technology to do that?'" While technology can certainly help lawyers work more efficiently in the face of ever-increasing volumes of work, it won't necessarily increase the quality of their advice to clients. As Jolliffe notes, one of the biggest challenges lawyers face in modern legal practice is the danger of offering advice without adequate contemplation. Clients are looking to receive advice as quickly as possible, and some lawyers are too eager to fall in line. He urges lawyers to guard against this by instituting a practice of acknowledging receipt of an e-mail from a client, before pausing to process the question to craft an accurate response. It can be hard to take this time with other pressures bearing down, but it is necessary in order to prevent the delivery of unsound legal advice. "If it takes an extra half an hour, it's worth doing it," says Jolliffe. "Because once you give an answer by e-mail, it's there, it's fixed — you can't change it. It's not like an oral conversation where you can go back and add to it before it's finalized. Just because we're now in a world of instant messaging, doesn't mean we should be giving instant advice." At the end of the day, part of the reason lawyers continue to thrive in the midst of technological innovation is their ability to distill information in a way computers cannot. Macleod Dixon LLP's Calgary-based worldwide managing partner Bill Tuer notes: "In our business, we still need reflection time; time for judgment and processing, because that often tends to be part of the high value-add on very important matters; the human judg- ment that's applied to the data." A big part of making way for that to happen is in the manage- An officer and a lawyer • Top 10 Atlantic regional f i rms • The future of patents October 2010 October 2010 $7.00 $7.00 ment of client expectations. But there are also strategies lawyers can use to make room for deep thinking. Jason Markwell, an intellectual property partner at Ogilvy Renault LLP in Toronto, uses a valuable technique: he attends to his detailed work early in the morning or after business hours when distractions are at a minimum. He also employs old-fashioned willpower when a pressing matter is likely to take up an entire day; he simply doesn't respond to messages as promptly. "It's very difficult to be focused on something complicated and at the same time responding to requests," he explains. Meanwhile, the story of Belovich's mid-hike conference dem- onstrates another key threat of lawyers' 24-7 work demands: burnout. There was a time not too long ago when lawyers could enjoy a mental break from their work when they returned home for the evening or went on vacation. Sure, it was always hard to get away from the office for extended downtime, but when a lawyer was gone, it was possible to get away from their work. 34 JAN UARY 2011 www. CANADIAN Lawye rmag.com10/22/10 11:57:06 AM Don't be swindled • Q&A wi th the CBA's Rod Snow • No c laim means no c laim! 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