Coming soon · Book Profile
Tomorrows Lawyers
An introduction to the near-future transformation of legal services, arguing that lawyers, courts, and legal education will change more radically in two decades than in the past two centuries.
A profile of this book is on the way.
What it’s about
Written by the world's leading commentator on the future of law, Tomorrow's Lawyers is a brisk, accessible guide for young and aspiring lawyers facing an industry in upheaval. Richard Susskind identifies three drivers of change—the 'more-for-less' challenge, liberalization, and technology—and shows how they will force legal work to be commoditized, decomposed, and sourced in radically new ways. He describes disruptive technologies from document automation to AI, online courts, and online dispute resolution, and predicts the emergence of new legal jobs and new employers. Rather than sounding a doom-laden warning, the book reframes disruption as opportunity, urging tomorrow's lawyers to be pioneers who upgrade justice and expand access to law while finding exciting new careers.
The through-line
- Who it’s for
- A young or aspiring lawyer (broadly construed) who wants a viable, meaningful, and prosperous career in law amid a rapidly transforming profession.
- The problem
- The traditional model of legal service is becoming unaffordable, inefficient, and increasingly displaced by technology and new competitors. The reader feels anxious and uncertain about whether their training and career path will remain relevant or valuable.
- The plan
- Understand the three drivers of change reshaping the legal market.
- Recognize how legal work can be commoditized, decomposed, and multi-sourced.
- Embrace disruptive technologies and new modes of delivering legal service.
- Prepare for new legal jobs and new types of employer.
- Ask employers probing questions and pursue training in emerging skills.
- The payoff
- A stimulating, socially significant career in one of the new legal roles. · Being a pioneer who shapes the next generation of legal services. · Helping to widen access to justice and reduce unmet legal need.
See our guide
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Additional reading
- Stumbling on Happiness · Daniel Gilbert
Explains the science behind why people are poor predictors of their own future happiness, a key concept the book applies to lawyer career choices.
- The Paradox of Choice: Why Less Is More · Barry Schwartz
Discusses how an overabundance of options can lead to anxiety and dissatisfaction, which the book applies to the daunting array of career paths facing law students.
- Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness · Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein
The book uses its concept of 'choice architecture' to suggest how law firms could structure work-life balance options to be more appealing and effective.
- The Tipping Point · Malcolm Gladwell
Cited for the 'Rule of 150,' which argues that organizations (like law firms) lose cohesiveness and become less satisfying workplaces once they grow beyond 150 members.
- Connected: The Surprising Power of Our Social Networks and How They Shape Our Lives · Nicholas Christakis and James Fowler
Referenced to support the argument that peer groups and social networks have a powerful influence on individual happiness, emphasizing the importance of choosing the right law school and firm culture.
- Wherever You Go, There You Are · Jon Kabat-Zinn
A foundational, accessible text on mindfulness by the creator of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program, which heavily influences the book's approach.
- Train Your Mind, Change Your Brain · Sharon Begley
Explores the science of neuroplasticity and how meditation can physically change the brain, providing evidence for the claims made in the book about meditation's transformative power.
- Self-Compassion: Stop Beating Yourself Up and Leave Insecurity Behind · Kristin Neff
Offers a deeper exploration of self-compassion, a core practice in the book that is identified as being particularly challenging yet crucial for lawyers.
- A Mindful Nation · Tim Ryan
Written by a U.S. Congressman, this book makes the case for mindfulness in various sectors of society, including high-stress professions, reinforcing the book's relevance.
- Daring Greatly · Brené Brown
Explores the importance of vulnerability, a theme the book connects to heartfulness and argues is essential for lawyers to engage with for authentic connection and well-being.