Article Review: “Small Law, Big Changes: The Coming Disruption in the Legal Industry”

By Susanne Rhodes, J.D.

Posted February 5, 2021

In Articles

https://www.law.com/dailybusinessreview/2020/05/18/small-law-big-changes-the-coming-disruption-in-the-legal-industry/#

- Interesting read about commoditizing legal work and leveraging technology to challenge the traditional law firm paradigm, and why the legal industry needs disruption.
- I found these stats very thought-provoking:
  - 30,000 new lawyers graduate every year
  - 2.3 hours billed a day, with 1.6 of those hours collected (!)
  - 63% of attorneys are solos or work at small firms.
- I’m not sure you restore faith in the justice system simply by commoditizing and leveraging technology, but being nimble, innovative, efficient, productive and entreprenuerial would surely help.
- Food for Thought: As clients have increased access to smaller firms because of technology, how are you differentiating yourself and getting in front of the right clients?

Susanne Rhodes, J.D.

I started Lawfully to help lawyers find the right fit for their careers. I am a former litigator who is now singularly focused on making sure lawyers reach their full potential, thrive where they practice, and continue to make the law a noble and revered profession. I went to the University of Notre Dame and double-majored in History and Anthropology. Based on my love of writing and people, I decided to go to law school. I love to learn, write, and read; and I love people. You get immersed in all of that in law school, which made it fun for me. But being a great lawyer is more than simply knowing the historical development of law, writing and reading analytically, and being able to Blue Book citations. I was an accomplished civil litigator with several trials, a prison-based multi-day deposition, and countless pleadings and hearings under my belt. I connected well with clients, experts, and opposing counsel (usually!), and I enjoyed the continual learning that litigation affords to lawyers. However, I was professionally unfulfilled. I had invested so much time and money into being a lawyer, but I was lost, in debt and didn’t know what to do. I transitioned to a career at a Forbes Top 250 recruiting firm (one of two legal recruiting firms that made the list) where I have interviewed hundreds of attorneys, worked with hundreds of firms (from local boutiques to AmLaw Top 10 firms), and coached numerous candidates through offer stage to grow their careers. The Lawfully E-Course combines my litigation and recruiting experience into a one-of-a-kind course where I can help more lawyers find professional fulfillment and practice law, fully.