When I started practicing as a lawyer time sensitive communication was sent by telex.
From time to time I even got a telegraph message.
Faxes were a big deal when they became common.
Most materials were sent by runner or mail.
Yet somehow work got done.
I clearly remember the first time a document was emailed to me -- it wasn't even called email then. It took at least half an hour to receive and the sender had to try several times before a successful transmission.
Today almost everything important comes by email, usually with a demand for a reply NOW! And with Blackberry and other pda devices it is possible to respond almost immediately.
Indeed, I realized my main email system was down when I checked my Blackberry around midnight and saw ... no messages.
Leaving aside the issue of whether there really is a need to check a Blackberry at midnight, on coming in to work I realized there wasn't much I could do. I planned to review a draft contract, sent by email, and review an amended letter or two, coming by email and do a few other things -- by email.
I begin to see just how hard it will be for President Obama to give up his Blackberry.
In just a few years email has gone from science fiction, to cute romance ('You have mail') to a stern taskmaster!
James Morton
1100 - 5255 Yonge Street
Toronto, Ontario
M2N 6P4
1 comment:
Seven years ago I was in OCJ and my cell phone rang during a conference. I left it on because my wife was expecting our first child.
The presiding judge "confiscated" my phone for the day which was returned at the end of his judicial day.
After that happened to me I have never obtained a blackberry or a new cell phone whose contract has long expired.
I am still a productive member of society but now disciplined to check messages and emails at 9:00 am and 12:30 to 1:45 pm at my office computer.
The world will not end and you will not be reported to the Law Society based on personal experience.
Heavy duty political types i.e. "mid-level party hacks" and "leadership contender hangers on" will however look at you very oddly when you do not give them a cell phone number or blackberry email contact but science has proven they may cause rot in your brain if exposed to them for a long period of time so its all good.
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