The DMAW principal talks how he thinks lawyers can help clients on their tech journeys
Earlier this week, Matthew Fisher shared what it was like to transition from private practice to in-house, and back again. In the second half of this interview, Fisher shares what alternative career paths he might have found himself on, and tells us what he loves about being a lawyer.
I didn’t exactly know what I wanted to do right out of school, but I knew I wanted to work with people and enjoyed complex problem solving. That led me to complete a double degree in law and finance and eventually a career in law, where every day I’m solving an array of complex issues while engaging with a diverse client base.
My favourite part of the job is exactly that – collaborating and working closely with great people to deliver real and practical solutions for them and their businesses.
As a profession, we need to remain agile and continue to focus on how we can provide real value to our clients, particularly in the wake of AI and other emerging technologies.
Although I can’t see AI completely replacing the role of external lawyers, it will undoubtedly have a significant impact not only on the way we operate but also the types of work that hit our desk. If the profession isn’t keeping an eye on those opportunities and market changes, it will be very easy to get left behind.
Much like my answer to the above, I think AI and other emerging technologies will pose a big challenge, but also a big opportunity for lawyers. Like other industries, those in the legal profession will need to lean into it and pivot the way they think and operate. There’s always going to be a place for a trusted advisor, but to do that job efficiently we need to embrace technology to better serve our clients.
It is also worth keeping in mind that our clients don’t always have bandwidth to fully identify how technology can improve their way of doing things, and I think there is a role for the lawyer to play in helping bring their clients on that tech journey. For example, lawyers are well placed to provide input on tech projects in areas like risk and compliance management and document production, approval and execution which can have lasting beneficial impacts for clients – not just financially but also from a governance and ESG perspective.
I’m looking forward to re-establishing connections as a trusted advisor and working with clients to deliver value in new ways.
I’d either be working in corporate finance or as a psychologist. They’re two very different career paths, one is very analytical, and the other is very people-driven, but I’m fortunate that I get the best of both worlds in law.
