Building Bridges: Navigating Generational Expectations of Your Colleagues and Clients in the New Age

SPONSORED BY IMMERSION LEGAL

Success as a lawyer depends upon connections—authentic connections with colleagues, clients, judges, juries, and peers. At any law firm, up to five different generations may be working side-by-side and there inevitably are "sticking points." The "sticking points" are based on differing viewpoints on work-life balance, one's role in an organization, and, in large part, the use of technology in day-to-day business and personal affairs.

While technology has provided unprecedented flexibility in the way we practice, and certainly where we practice, it has also led to significant changes to the relationship-building process. Emails and social media posts have replaced in-person conversations, letters, and telephone calls as the primary modes of communication, and the pandemic solidified the role of remote meetings, hearings, and trials in the future. But, at what cost to the ability of lawyers to build meaningful connections that dictate not only their satisfaction with the job but their success at it? Because younger lawyers, also known as “digital natives,” have had a smart phone in their hands since they were toddlers, technology is part of the fabric of their life.

This program explores some of the sticking points lawyers face daily, with a focus on the impact of technology on the ability to develop connections from a generational perspective. Panelists will provide proposed solutions to bridge the gap between the digital natives and those who grew up in an era where making connections required you to be physically present.