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Eugene P. Stein Arming the 21st century lawyer: A firm’s technology whiz shares his insights [by Teresa Talerico] Although many lawyers view technology as a necessary evil, Eugene P. Stein’s mission is to show them it can actually be an attorney’s best friend. Chief Knowledge and Technology Officer at White & Case in New York City, Stein keeps his firm updated on the all latest tools and workplace advancements— from sophisticated search engines to legal software to customized gadgets. Stein is a 1994 graduate of St. John’s Univer-
Q: What are some common stumbling blocks
sity School of Law in Queens, NY. He and his
for lawyers using technology?
team are more than just the “computer guys”
A: I think we’ve got various, very good collaborative tools in place. We have 44 offices around the globe, so it allows our attorneys,
who swoop in when a computer crashes; they
A: The biggest challenge is people are used
regardless of time zone or location, to work
also develop new and innovative technology
to computers at home and used to being able
seamlessly with one another for common
specifically for the firm. Stein’s success re-
to do whatever they want on the computer
clients or legal issues that they’re collabo-
cently earned him the Legal IT Achiever of the
at home. [Here,] you’re working on a system
rating on. That’s rather unique. That’s also
Year Award from the Legal IT Forum.
that’s networked with everyone else. One of
built on top of a sophisticated set of knowl-
Q: How did you get into this field?
the major challenges is to take the time to go
edge libraries where we have practice notes,
to training and learn how the system works.
model legal forms, and model precedents
Carpenters need to know how to use the tools
available for all of our attorneys so they can
A: Being a lawyer is somewhat of a second
they have to build a house. Lawyers need to
find experts throughout the firm easily. They
career for me. I’d always been a technologist.
learn the tools they need to practice law. One
can bring the right legal skills to bear on a
After practicing for a few years, I was offered
of the biggest problems we have is training.
particular problem for a client.
an opportunity to combine my technology
Folks figure they know it because they have
background with the practice of law to find
it at home.
The third component is kind of proselytizing and getting the lawyers to use it. We have
ways to make the practice of law better. That field has become known as Knowledge
Q: How does being a lawyer yourself give you
very good success rates of attorneys within
Management. It’s trying to figure out what do
an advantage?
the firm using these systems to practice. It’s important for the up-and-coming law
lawyers know, what do lawyers do, how do we share collectively our wisdom, our knowl-
A: I already have the vernacular down. I’m not
students who are graduating because they’re
edge, and make use of it?
coming at this from a pure technical perspec-
getting used to an environment where they
tive, but I understand what lawyers do, how
have instant access to all sorts of informa-
Q: What are the rewards and challenges of
they’ve been trained, and how they work.
tion. They’re used to wireless connectivity
your work?
When I work with partners and associates, I
and getting it any time of the day or the night.
can easily walk in there as a fellow attor-
We’re trying to create that kind of an atmo-
A: You take a whole bunch of very high
ney and bring in the pieces of technology or
sphere here at the firm.
energy, smart professionals and try to get
knowledge components and get right to the
them to share what they know. It’s a signifi-
point. A two-word phrase to me might take 10
We’ve done technology fairs here where we
cant challenge. Many of the rewards are I
minutes to explain to somebody who doesn’t
try out new and different pieces of technol-
get to see just about every area of the law
have a legal background. It certainly facili-
ogy. We once built a desk out of a very large
firm, the business, and how it’s practiced. I
tates the conversation. It makes our selection
touch screen to see if the lawyers, as they’re
get involved with clients, I get involved with
of software and hardware that much easier
reviewing documents, would find that an easy
supporting the practice, and I practice. You
because we don’t need to involve the lawyers
way to work. We show those things off, we
really just do a little bit of everything in this
every step of the way.
embed little bits of technology into everyday
particular role. You also get involved in rather
items like binder clips. These are things
interesting legal questions and challenges
Q: What are some of the innovative ways your
we’ve tried; some have been better received
that come up from clients, as well as what we
firm uses technology?
than others.
as a law firm need to try to figure out.
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CAREER CORNER
Q: Lawyers and technology—is that a good match? A: I would say most lawyers view technology as a necessary evil. I would say 60 to 70 percent of them view it that way. There are really some who are really savvy and love it and can’t get enough to help them with their practice. The rest of them are like, “It’s a necessary evil.” Q: What’s your advice for those interested in your field? A: Really understand how to learn the law, which is what law school teaches you. But really have a good grasp of how you learn the law. That will help you understand how to integrate tools to help people learn the law. Q: What do you look for when hiring? A: I look for people with technology backgrounds. I look for people with very good people skills, who understand how attorneys research, how they write and draft their documents, how they prepare for trial. Q: What are some of your niftiest technology inventions for the firm? A: We’re just about to deploy a global search engine within our firm. I hesitate to use a word like Google because Google signifies a really simple search. We’re about to deploy a search that’s concept-based. It helps you find previous legal product and experts in the firm just by saying, “Tell me everyone who knows everything about leasing property on the moon.” And it will go across our knowledge libraries and even our work product and bring back these three people throughout the firm who have done that type of work. It’s very neat.
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