Extract from Alexandria Ator’s article “Trial by iPad: How Technology Is Giving Young Associates Courtroom Experience”
Young associates gain invaluable experience while providing valuable assistance to their law firms.
When I graduated law school in May 2020, I was an aspiring litigator who was looking for the first chance to step into a courtroom. It’s every young litigator’s dream, right? However, although I am hopeful, I am also pragmatic, meaning I was sure I would not see the inside of a courtroom for the next few years. Plus, add to the equation a global pandemic, which shut down court and forced them to operate remotely. I, for sure, knew that as a young associate my courtroom experiences would be few and far between.
Enter the application “Trial by iPad.” In January, an opportunity presented to second chair a medical malpractice trial in Lebanon County. The catch? Trial by iPad. I soon found out that this iPad application would be my proverbial golden ticket into the courtroom. Now, because of this novelty, I can thank technology (and my law firm) for allowing me to gain invaluable courtroom experience three months into my legal career. The benefits of Trial by iPad are two-fold: firms are cutting costs by keeping courtroom presentation services in-house, but they are also actively training the next generation of young litigators.
