Low Tech Law

We are working on some technology upgrades at Krause Law.  When we rebranded my law practice as “Krause Law LLC” about five years ago, that coincided with moving into new space in the historic Livestock Exchange Building in the Stockyards District of Kansas City’s West Bottoms, and at that time we implemented a number of technology refreshers.  Five years hence, it’s time to think about technology again.  This time it includes new computers, larger monitor screens, modernized back-up strategies, and professional IT support services, among others.

These gizmos are fantastic tools, helping to improve productivity with increased reliability and security.  Some of it is fun too.  My new iPad, for example, will help me transition from note-taking on paper into electronic note-taking and storage, hopefully helping to reduce the paper stacks in my office.

I am reminded of the great professional mentors I had the privilege of working with early in my professional career, and the practice standards and habits they helped to instill into a young lawyer.  None of these mentors ever discussed technology with me.  Instead, they taught the “blocking and tackling” of practicing law.  Revising and re-writing, proofreading an extra time or two, re-checking citations or even the supporting case law or statutes, reading contracts to the end including the “miscellaneous” provisions, ruthless discipline on grammar and word selection, meeting deadlines, exceeding client expectations, etc., etc.  And, importantly, pausing to think “outside the box” to see if all the pertinent information has been considered and whether other approaches might work better to achieve better results.

I call this “low tech law”—it’s not driven by faster computers or a fancy stylus.  Instead, this involves the time-tested discipline of a law practice driven by excellence and client-centered service.  When I think of those who were generous to me with their wisdom and training, after all these years I am still inspired to push just a little more to meet their expectations, as if they would still be reviewing my work.

OK, so I have a bigger computer with a better screen and faster internet, but the output still comes from the same source and has the same target.  Low Tech Law is still relevant.