Georgia State Legal Technology Competency Model: A Framework for Examining and Evaluating What It Means to Be a Technologically Competent Lawyer

Abstract

A technologically competent lawyer should not only have a base understanding of what technology is and how it works but also a deeper knowledge of how it shapes the practice of law and in turn how society shapes the practice of law. Lawyers need the ability to “do” technology in order to solve practical problems for themselves and their clients in order to be competent 21st Century lawyers. Legal competency, however, is much more than just knowledge about programs, software, and their application. Technologically literate lawyers will have developed real-world knowledge about how to access, evaluate, integrate, create, and communicate information to enhance the learning process through problem-solving and critical thinking. Moreover, these skills can morph and evolve over time and in different settings.

In the spirit of the Delta; and the I-model lawyer, this paper explores how a technology competent lawyer changes depending on various criteria such as legal position, practice area, practice size, etc. The cone-shaped framework presented in this paper provides a shared paradigm that allows for different levels of competency based on unique educational and practice-based factors. Tech competencies are organized into three skill levels: Know, Integrate, and Create, which rest on broad spectrum foundations known as B.A.S.E. The framework explores each level within four topical quadrants: practice technology; data; automation and efficiency; and emerging tech. Course developers, legal enterprises, and individuals at all levels can more effectively evaluate and examine tech competencies across practice areas and educational environments.

Keywords: legal ethics, professional responsibility, legal education, law and technology, legal technology, technology competence, legal practice, law, legal profession