Lawyers and iPhones: Some 300K US Lawyers Use iPhone
Lawyers and iPhones haven't always had the best relationship.
In fact, there was a point when law firms were hesitant to adopt the new technology, refusing to offer support so that associates could securely access firm e-mail on non-BlackBerry smartphones.
But alas, this has changed, and according to the American Bar Association's Legal Technology Survey Report, 31% of lawyers use an iPhone, with 13% also using an iPad.
That's about 300,000 lawyers nationwide.
To be more precise, these numbers only cover attorneys in private practice, and while the ABA only managed to poll roughly 1,000 attorneys, their margin of error is reasonably small.
This year's numbers indicate that, in 2010, 78% of solo practitioners used a smartphone to conduct business, compared to 98% of attorneys at firms with more than 100 attorneys.
Most of those polled indicated that they primarily use their phones for email, phone calls, contacts, and of course, calendaring. And at least 27% of survey respondents have used some legal-specific app.
It's unclear why iPhones have gained such traction in the legal field (besides their obvious popularity with the younger crowd), but it may have something to do with those legal-specific apps.
If a comparison of the BlackBerry and iPhone app stores is any indication, iPhone users have significantly more options, with legal apps numbering in the hundreds and jumping every day.
Whatever the reasons behind the profession's sudden adoration of Apple technology, one can only expect the relationship between lawyers and iPhones to continue to grow.
Related Resources:
- Legal Technology Survey (ABA)
- iPhone v. Blackberry: Apple Targets BigLaw, Corporate Market (FindLaw's Technologist)
- Android Smartphone Gains Market Share, But is it Right for Attorneys? (FindLaw's Technologist)