Hilarie Bass, president of the American Bar Association |

Hilarie Bass, the president of the American Bar Association (ABA), ventured into the heart of Silicon Valley on April 5, 2018, and challenged the Stanford CodeX FutureLaw conference attendees to “be bold, be adventurous and be courageous” in helping break down the barriers that impede collaboration among lawyers, technologists, and other professionals in shaping the future of legal services.

Bass observed that there is an inherent conflict between the disruptive impact of technological change and the practice of law. Technology, by its nature, is “forward-looking,” while legal training and professional responsibility rules create a legal service environment that is “backward looking” and risk-averse. Bass is concerned that the legal profession may be left behind if it does not innovate.

She pointed to the recommendations of the ABA Commission on the Future of Legal Services and its Recommendation 7 that the “legal profession should partner with other disciplines and the public for insights about innovating the delivery of legal services” to stimulate creative thinking about legal service in the future.