by Theodora Stoica | 05.01.2021 | #FutureProofLegal, Education, In the know, Inspiration, Series |
Media literacy represents the competency allowing the bearer to identify various categories of media content and understand the message thus conveyed. Although distinctive and somehow contrasting, all media has one thing in common: someone created it for a specific reason. Understanding that reason is the very core of media literacy.
Media literacy has become a critical skill for judges and lawyers alike, as the legal profession uses media sources to a greater extent than others. A correct interpretation of facts, unclouded by media manipulation, is the bedrock of a healthy justice system.
Every media content consumer and, especially, legal practitioners must undergo proper education on how to recognize and evaluate facts, opinions, media messages, and the media creator’s innate bias if they want to become the arbiters of truth in the information age. As such, legal education should take this problem in all its seriousness and ensure that the graduates they provide to be guardians of justice are media literate enough to practice law with a trained eye towards the content they consume, use, and create. In the words of Phillip Meyer, “[i]f we exist exclusively in a hall of mirrors where there are no actual facts but only alternative facts, then there may be judgment but not justice.”
by Karolina Jackowicz | 20.10.2020 | #FutureProofLegal, Development |
Emotional intelligence (EI) is a superpower in both the professional and personal sphere. Investment in developing emotional intelligence yields many beneficial results – for yourself and your environment. This is especially crucial in the legal industry, given lawyers are traditionally perceived as cold and robotic. It’s a stereotype, sure, yet data mostly confirms this popular belief. This situation of low empathy and EI amongst lawyers is not only a mismatch between what people need and what they get. Worse, it creates many disadvantages for your business, career, finances and wellbeing. The good news is that being empathetic and emotionally intelligent can be learnt and improved upon. So, you can start with this post in which you’ll:
– find out what is emotional intelligence (EI) and its measure – EQ;
– read about the core trait of EI – empathy; and
– learn some useful tips for developing your emotional intelligence and empathy.
by Theodora Stoica | 17.09.2020 | #FutureProofLegal, Development, In the know, Series |
Here are some takeaways when it comes to networking and relationship building:
1. Base your networks on trust, diversity, and brokerage. This way, you will upgrade your level of information from what you know to whom you know.
2. Use your know-how to benefit your connections and use your connections to help your clients and peers. This way, networking will be more than a self-benefiting tool but rather a method to build long-lasting mutually beneficial relationships. In time, this network will expand to include connections of your connections, in an overall movement towards diversity and comprehensiveness.
3. Put your relationships to work: connect with as many people within the field as possible. This way, an ever-expanding niche network will emerge. But limiting to your professional network would be a mistake. Instead, try networking laterally, vertically, and horizontally and take advantage of the grapevine effect: valuable information can sometimes come from places you least expect.
4. Remember: you needn’t be an excessively outgoing person to frame your network. Making a bare effort to ask a question, connect (with) people, share relevant information are well-suited actions to engage, preserve, and nourish your network. Always remember the four “ups” when networking: read up, show up, listen up, and follow up!
by Karolina Jackowicz | 25.08.2020 | #FutureProofLegal, Development, Education, Inspiration, Review |
Hello, folks! As a refresher of the 3rd event in The Uncertain Decade series, we’re presenting the main takeaways in a visual form of a gallery with quotes and snippets of the wisdom from Mark Cohen and Richard Susskind. Predictions, observations, suggestions. Let us know if you like this new form of publishing on the blog (more visuals, less classic text).
Looking forward to comments and questions – get in touch! Thank you for reading.
by Theodora Stoica | 21.08.2020 | #FutureProofLegal, In the know, Series |
Before the maps, people traveled less: many were born, lived, and died in the same place. Travel was expensive, risky, and, therefore, rare. The legal industry today is in the exact same spot: our legal professionals don’t have maps, our clients are forced to rely on our anecdotal, subjective experiences as guides. But it doesn’t have to be that way, and surely the future will introduce structural changes in how legal services are provided. The only question is how the legal industry will react and implement the necessary reforms.
Data should no longer be a scarecrow to legal professionals out there. Ideally, collecting data should be straightforward, and data visualisation should be clear. A data-driven discussion brings forward topics such as return on technology investment, motivates a team to undertake changes, and overall brings success. Thus, data analytics should extend beyond cost control and cover information about the legal function as a whole. Ultimately, legal teams would be able to pivot their focus from “cost savings” to “value creation”.
