Some Final Thoughts and Thanks

• Publication year: 2000
• Pages: 19
• Citation: Vol. 29 No. 6 Pg. 19

29 Colo.Law. 19 Colorado Lawyer 2000.

2000, June, Pg. 19. Some Final Thoughts and Thanks

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Vol. 29, No. 6, Pg. 19

The Colorado Lawyer
June 2000
Vol. 29, No. 6 [Page 19]

Features
CBA President's Message to Members
Some Final Thoughts and Thanks
by Bart Mendenhall

I have to admit, working on my last column, that I have Spring Fever. But members of the CBA staff are on my case to get this done (one of them even called me deadline-challenged!). I have no great message this month but I do have some disconnected thoughts, and important thanks

Professionalism

I know, I promised not to write about it, but I lied (and I'm still tired of hearing about it). No matter what your religious persuasion (or lack thereof), the Golden Rule is a good place to start. Take it beyond where your ego demands that you go after someone, clear up to the point where the interests of your client demand that you do something (remembering that sometimes the good of your client demands that you keep your mouth shut!). Then, and only if you have no other choice, apply Rule 11. Also, whenever you have a chance, remind a new practitioner that what goes around sooner or later, comes around. Few will forever escape the consequences of their unprofessional actions. It's just that they sometimes don't realize why bad things are happening to them.

Changes in the Practice of Law

As the past two years have progressed, I have become convinced that within a few years, perhaps as soon as five or six, the practice of law will have changed so fundamentally that many of us will no longer recognize it. Certainly, the representation of clients in a courtroom setting will remain, but even the ways in which we accomplish that familiar task will change drastically. One has to do little more than follow the debate on the multi-disciplinary practice ("MDP") of law to realize the probability of massive change, and MDPs are only the tip of the iceberg. I recently attended the ABA Techshow. What an eye-opener! The implications of advancing technology for society as a whole, let alone the practice of law, are breathtaking.

In fact, the changes to society alone will require huge changes to the practice of law. If we can't, or won't, meet our clients' changing needs, they will find someone who will, and that person may not be a lawyer Our task is to make sure the public (our clients) understands...