While a postgraduate qualification in science or engineering is almost obligatory for intellectual property and technology lawyers in advanced economies such as the UK, USA and Germany the same is not the case in Ireland where the vast majority of practising lawyers follow the same path from basic law degree to practice. But research from the USA and the UK shows that poor mathematical skills in lawyers is a real problem.
As one of the few Irish technology lawyers with an engineering background I am often asked what difference technical experience makes to my practice as a lawyer.
Look at the intellectual property and technology departments of the biggest firms in Ireland and you will find non-technical lawyers with qualifications that are identical to their colleagues in areas such as real estate, finance, M&A and family law.
I have thought long and hard about what advantage technically qualified lawyers have and have come to the conclusion that it goes way beyond numeracy and familiarity with technology.
Lawyers with technical training and experience bring an engineering mindset to the practice of law and that is what sets us apart.
Lawyers with technical training and experience bring an engineering mindset to the practice of law and that is what sets us apart.
So what is an engineering mindset?
Well as a practising lawyer who has a PhD in physics, three patents and ten years’ experience working for some of the worlds largest technology companies I think I can finally answer that question.
Engineers have a native curiosity – it’s what drives us to make things better. Engineers are always looking for elegant solutions to hard problems that improve people’s lives – it’s in our DNA.
Research from the USA and the UK shows that poor mathematical skills in lawyers is a real problem.
Engineering depends on collaboration to get the job done. Engineers often have a strong vision but the best ones also have the ability to listen to and take on board other points of view.
Engineering brains are wired to spot patterns in complex data. Because of that we perceive patterns differently breaking things down into their components and putting them back together again to make something new and better.
Lawyers are traditionally conservative and tend to follow the status quo, on the other hand, knowing something has never been done before motivates engineers to innovate. A technical qualification engenders a healthy disrespect for the status quo.
Finally engineers are experts at communicating complex ideas often using data and visualisation to make the point. You won’t see an engineer writing a ten page document when a diagram will do the job.
So when you work with a lawyer who has an engineering mindset you get a numerate problem solver and communicator motivated to craft elegant solutions even for problems that have never been solved before.
If you want to work with lawyers who have this unique engineering mindset please subscribe to my newsletter, Ghost of Electricity, or get in touch with us at www.fplogue.com