Susskind’s Death of Lawyers-Trademark lawyers should embrace the change.

Richard Susskind’s book, The Death of Lawyers has been getting a lot of attention lately.  An INTA thread on LinkedIn had at last count 40 comments on the book. The nationwide layoffs of partners and associates as well as reduction in associate salaries bear out Susskind’s prediction that systems using technology with less costly workers and the laymen’s use of on-line self help tools are replacing the jobs of traditional lawyers.   The title of his book is an exaggeration- he recognizes the need for wise legal counselors who can guide their clients.

So what is the emerging role of a trademark lawyer who wants to survive and not die the legal death that Susskind predicts?

The only possible answer is to embrace the change.

Whether you work in a law firm or a corporate legal department:

1. Identify technologies that either replace what you do, or help you do a better job. The legal  industry is ripe for innovative solutions. Business intelligence has been applied in many corporate environments but somehow avoided the legal departments. That’s changing.
2. Know what your client really cares about.  It’s brand protection. In the era of on-line advertising, the brand is even more important. If you understand this business objective, you can provide legal counsel that justifies the legal expense of your services or salary.
3. Offer wise counsel.  Understand how ICANN works and is changing because securing the right domain names is critical to search engine optimization. Know how to use trademark registrations to shut shown cyber-squatters and counterfeiters to protect the bottom line.  Advise on how copyright protection can be used as an alternative to protect designs in a new branding campaign. No piece of software can perform the kind of complex analysis that identifies changes in the law, aligns the law with corporate goals and identifies alternatives to guide smart decisions making.

MapWise for trademarks is technology that doesn’t replace you but makes you smarter.  It gives you insight into trademark data that pouring over spreadsheets or docket reports just can’t. Its dynamic mapping function helps you generate a meaningful picture to share with your business clients to assess risk and cost effectively protect global brands.