How would you transform the legal industry?

Ayelette Robinson, Director of Knowledge Technology at Littler Mendelson, did a guest post on the 3 Geeks and a Law Blog a couple days ago asking, "How would you transform the legal industry?"  It got me thinking and I thought I'd carry her idea to my blog and pose it to all of you before you start your weekend. 

Here is her original question and my comment on her post. 

How Would You Transform the Legal Industry?

What resource (technological or not) would you invent to transform the legal industry?

This question isn't about what you think will transform the industry, but rather what you would, if you were all-powerful, create to do so.

Share your thoughts. And don't just step outside the box, get so far away from it that you can barely see it with a telescope.

And here's what I think:

How would I transform the legal industry? At some of the toniest restaurants, the kitchens are entirely open and visible. Patrons see all the chefs scurrying about at a dizzying pace, can peer across some specially designed barrier and watch all sorts of food prep, from searing tuna to whipping foam to garnishing a plate.

We have talked around transparency the last few years - buyers of legal services clamor for it. I envision a law firm set up like this kitchen - an entirely open environment, where clients enter the law firm space, work side by side with their lawyers, share resources, experience and intelligence.  Technology projects, at their heart, would be about openness and collaboration.

Everything in today's law firm would require rethinking - not the least of which is the architecture and office design. No more private offices for individuals. This isn't about throwing privacy and confidentiality out the window - it's about balancing transparency and privacy to better serve our clients.

Please share your ideas!