![]() Artificial intelligence will be the order of the day and the jurors will all be robots. Although there is talk about doing away with juries in civil matters given the large expenditures in time for jury trials, I would say juries will not totally disappear. Trials of course will be radically different. Lightbulb pshaw! I’m just calling them as I see them. The lawyer and client will wear a set of headphones and when the lawyer’s brainwaves sense the client is about to say something stupid, the lawyer will squirm activating from the client’s side a large swinging boot. Like with Pavlov’s dogs, technology will no doubt step up to the plate, (or should I say, under the table), to make sure your client makes the right choice of answers. But how many lawyers can swear they never gave their clients now and then during pointed questioning a kick in the shins? Will virtual discoveries eliminate this verboten practice? Lawyers are not supposed to coach their clients as they testify. Technology is also adapting to examinations for discovery. “Hit pause please here’s a blank cheque.” If it were me in that room, I’d come out waving a white flag. I suggest this would be a remarkably effective deterrent. Rather than just say no, you click some App and the opponent’s breakout room gets permeated with the scent of parmesan cheese. The other side makes you a Mickey Mouse offer that really stinks. However I can see technology being adapted to use food as a weapon, olfactory speaking. A voice then says something like, “While you’re saving time listening to that drivel, would you like to enjoy some music? Press 1 for classical … etc.” Meanwhile to feign attention, your system utters expected reactions to the other side, such as well timed “Uh huhs.” Then comes the appropriate, “Go on, we’re listening.”Īs George Burns said, “Sincerity - if you can fake that you’ve got it made.”Īnd with virtual mediations, gone are the days of the ordered in great lunches. As the plaintiff’s side starts opening, the defendant’s lawyer just hits it and they are silenced. ![]() I therefore see a button on the screens with an image of earmuffs. From my in-person experience I have found that the other side never listens to its opponent’s opening statement. Being a boomer technophobe, (retired from practice fortunately), my prognostications are as good as anybody’s. ![]() However, are we in for some surprises, getting more than we wished for? I have some predictions, concerns and suggestions. It forced us to quickly embrace a load of technology including electronic filings and virtual proceedings such as Zoom. Where is technology taking the legal profession? We hear say the pandemic has brought the justice system into the 21st century.
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