In this piece from Bloomberg Law, Evisort’s Memme Onwudiwe and Credit Karma’s Tom Stephenson make the case that having a law degree is not – and should not be – a prerequisite for a legal operations job. Those trained in cutting-edge technology can manage lawyers, they say. “The legal technology industry raised more than $2.5 billion in 2021, and alternative legal service providers are rising in market share, as firms like Deloitte & EY grow their ranks in legal consulting,” they write. “This growth is leading to new job opportunities.” Still, those opportunities tend to be restricted to JDs, even though talented professionals without a law degree are driving change in legal ops and tech. “The need for JD after someone’s name is less important than the role’s requirements,” they continue. “Just because a position is within legal pedagogy is not a reason to prefer a lawyer over a subject-matter expert. . . . Equitable hiring practices should focus on applicants who are best qualified. . . . Legal operations professionals have a unique opportunity to emphasize the importance of designing and implementing a business solution ecosystem to guide greater efficiency and decision-making. If data and trends tell us anything, law firms and corporate law departments must adapt to achieve better business outcomes, while law schools have to change the way they teach in our modern digital economy.” For more, go to Bloomberg Law.
You Don’t Need a JD to Make A Difference in Legal OPS
