Comments on: The iFuture

By: Jordan Furlong

Jordan Furlong — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 11:37:51 +0000

Disney’s an intriguing thought — it’s developing into kind of a maverick among the studios (the only major not to sign up to a recent Hollywood collective to make movies available for download on the web, presumably to protect its interests for future developments). Unlike the other entertainment giants, it has a theme and a brand — family programming — that has already been extended to other industries (e.g., Disney Cruise Lines) and could conceivably be adapted to the professional services market (e.g., “Trust your family estate planning to Disney Enterprises.”) Not sure they could do much with the divorce sector, but you never know….

By: Ron Baker

Ron Baker — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 16:59:50 +0000

Even more interesting: what would happen if Disney got into the legal business?

By: Josh Barrett

Josh Barrett — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 04:03:07 +0000

@Yves If a lawyer is willing to take a laptop everywhere and deal with the associated overhead (with the benefit of more horsepower), then yeah, there is no real benefit. But I think these devices are about fitting into different spaces of work. When I have time to work at my desk or home office, a laptop is the most appropriate tool. When I am watching my kid's soccer game and need to dash off a quick email to a client, the iPhone is the best tool. The iPad will fit nicely in that space between: I need to hammer out a short letter or approve some final changes to the merger agreement while on the road. While I'm sorta able to do this on the iPhone with tools like QuickOffice and LogMeIn, I'd much rather know that I can quickly open a full sized document and type on a full sized keyboard even if my laptop is unavailable. More to the point, I've largely quit carrying a laptop since I've had my iPhone but I think I will carry the iPad for those other needs. I still agree with you though that it will also be terrific entertainment / leisure machine.

By: Tom Carter

Tom Carter — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 21:29:24 +0000

Jordan, I’ve been following your blog for a couple of weeks now and really like what you are doing. Keep it up.

By: Yves Faguy

Yves Faguy — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 17:50:43 +0000

Jordan, I share your thoughts on the design and the customer experience. Still, I fail to see how the iPad (how could they have called it anything else?) makes lawyers any more mobile than they are with a laptop or an iPhone. In the end the iPad, I think, is a product intended for leisure, rather than an office tool.

By: Fred Krebs

Fred Krebs — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 16:32:52 +0000

I like Apple analogy as well. Just like everyone does not use a Mac or an iPhone nevertheless they have a clear brand that relates to the experience. I think when people say they hire the lawyer and not the firm much of that has to do with the experience; what can the firm do to make that applicable to all its lawyers?

By: Jordan Furlong

Jordan Furlong — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 15:53:29 +0000

It would be intriguing to see what an Apple-designed law firm would look like. Especially after several generations of firms that seem to have been designed by Microsoft. :-)

By: Susan Cartier Liebel

Susan Cartier Liebel — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 15:45:21 +0000

Jordan, this is an excellent analogy between iPad the the IFuture of law firms. Who do you think will grab a hold of the concept of law firm design first :-)