No one understands the impact of technology on law quite like Justine Rowe. As an executive at Telstra she’s on the forefront of how law is reacting to rapidly evolving technologies.
When Justine Rowe first started as a lawyer technology was moving at a considerably slower pace. Dictaphones were in. Email was new. Overall the tech industry’s impact on law was far less disruptive.
Things couldn’t be more different today.
How Technology is Disrupting Law
There’s no denying the huge ways in which technology has disrupted law in the recent years. This rate of disruption is only going to increase as the tech industry continues to innovate faster and faster.
In law, the focus has always been on assessment and risk management. This is still the same today and it’s unlikely advances in technology will ever change that. However, what technology has changed is the complexity of these risks.
For example, security risks have evolved from just physical risks to include all the complexities of cyber security.
The Impact of Technology on Lawyers
So, how does the huge impact of technology on law impact those who practice it?
Well, for starters, lawyers now need a wide range of skills, and some level of literacy with technology.
In the past law was really about deep domain legal expertise in a particular area. Now it’s about having a much broader skill set”
– Justine Rowe
According to Justine, lawyers working in today’s tech industry need the following traits:
- The ability to spot legal issues
- The ability to use collaboration tools and work with others effectively
- An understanding of process and the ability to spot areas where process can be improved
- An appetite for constant change
I didn’t know a whole lot about the intersection of law and technology going into this interview. So, I really appreciated the clarity and accessibility Justine brought to this topic.
I have no doubts you’ll learn as much as I did!
In this episode we cover:
- Justine’s career journey from legal counsel, to Chief of Staff and Executive at Telstra, Australia’s leading telco.
- What it’s like being a lawyer in a teleco, and the impact of technology on law over the last 18 years.
- Justine shares the importance of linking your purpose to work
- We discuss the difference between a “traditional leader” and an “authentic leader”, and how to be an authentic leader, even though you may not lead a team
- Justine also shares a vulnerable story about managing anxiety, and how it felt to finally bring her full self to work
- And so much more!
Episode Resources
- Justine Rowe on LinkedIn
- Interview, How legal teams should begin to integrate data analytics into their practice, Australiasian Lawyer (Sep 2019)
- Interview, Concrete steps firms can take to further gender equality at the top, Australiasian Lawyer (Jul 2018)
- Article, The 5-Step Process to Defining Authentic Leadership, The Leadership Institute (Jan 2020)
- Book, Authentic Leadership: Rediscovering the Secrets to Creating Lasting Value, Bill George (Author)
[Full Disclaimer: Some of these links may be affiliate links, which means we receive compensation, at no extra cost to you, if you purchase through the link.]
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