New Normal is Now the Norm: Revolution Continues Whether We Like it or Not

"Folks, the change is here. 

We’re living it."

Jordan Furlong, a partner in Edge International, a leading management consultancy, describes the "revolution" that is ongoing in the legal field and in legal education in a recent posting he calls: You say you want a revolution?  He opens his posting this way:

If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you’ll know that I’m convinced of a couple of things: (1) Fundamental shifts in the legal services environment will spawn a diverse population of new providers that will expand access to those services while destroying lawyers’ market exclusivity; and, (2) This is, on balance, a good thing. I’ve never been more certain than I am today, at the close of 2013, about the first — but I’ve never been less certain about the second.

After summarizing evidence of the revolution, he offers some predictions for the future, and asks regulators, bar associations,  law schools, courts, and lawyers to take action now that will respond in a way that enhances services for clients while protecting core values of the profession.  He offers one apocalyptic prediction that arises if we, as a profession, do not respond quickly and strategically to the trends.

Try to find some time during the busy holiday season to read it and the comments.