Legal technology is quickly introducing new opportunities for the way law is practiced, but many lawyers remain ignorant of advancements in tasks like research and review. To combat this ignorance, the New York State Bar Association announced the formation of its Committee on Technology and the Legal Profession, and leading the group will be Ganfer & Shore partner Mark Berman.

An NYSBA statement announcing Berman's appointment listed its mission as finding opportunities for lawyers to use technology in enhancing their practice; using technology for access to justice efforts; recommending regulations and practices for legal technology service providers; and helping attorneys achieve “reasonable technological competence” in their practice areas. The areas in which the committee will examine technology's impact include e-discovery, data privacy and security, and artificial intelligence.

As head of Ganfer & Shore's e-discovery counseling practice, Berman is no stranger to technology in law. He told LTN, “This committee is about action, and time is of the essence to get ahead of the ever-changing technology. We want to be proactive and not reactive, and that is the best way for the State Bar to provide value to lawyers and the public.”