Document Type
Article
Publication Title
Forthcoming, Arkansas Law Review
Abstract
Lawyers are more digitally connected than ever, but the human side of connection is shifting. In a profession built on relationships, technological transformations from videoconferencing to Generative AI reshape how lawyers converse, empathize, and build rapport. Amid industry calls to prioritize ‘soft’ people skills, lawyers face a growing paradox: tools offering convenience and efficiency disrupt traditional methods of on-the-job training and mentorship from generations past. This Article draws on lessons from an empirical, interview-based study of law students, professional development legal personnel, and senior lawyers to examine interpersonal connection as a modern lawyering skill. Against a backdrop of swirling influences like smartphone dependence, distanced legal education, and increased reports of well-being struggles, participants describe the shaky ground of new workplace norms and the real-world stakes of connection choices like sending a chat instead of stopping by an office. The bottom line? The profession is undergoing a connection recalibration. Legal skills instruction and professional training must recognize that thriving in a tech-driven world requires doubling down on personal relationship skills, too. No matter the latest-and-greatest tool, lawyering is still about people helping people. And that human touch deserves—demands—our attention.
Publication Date
1-31-2025
Recommended Citation
Dyane O'Leary, Disconnected Connection, Forthcoming, Ark. L. Rev. (2026).
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License