A report in the New York Daily Record notes that lawyers in large numbers are reporting using—and loving—their iPads. This report suggests that bankruptcy lawyers and others are embracing new technology to interact with clients in new and exciting ways.

Since the gadget’s introduction in the spring of 2010, iPads have sold more than 40 million units, outpacing many estimates and suggesting a sea change in the way people interact with digital media. In particular, though, iPads have proven popular among attorneys. Here’s a look at the numbers for law firms with 50 or more attorneys:

• 25 percent noted that the iPad would be their next major technological purchase.
• 11 percent reported already having bought iPads for their lawyers.
• 55 percent indicated that their IT teams are employed at least in part to help with issues involving lawyers’ personal tablet devices.
• Of lawyers who use a tablet device for work, 89 percent prefer the iPad.
• Fully 15 percent of lawyers utilize their tablets to do work when they’re not in the office.

At firms with over 500 attorneys, those numbers are even higher.

How You Benefit from Lawyers with iPads

More so than other technological innovations of recent years, the iPad promotes connectivity from anywhere. Attorneys who have and use iPads (at work and on the go) may be, according to the numbers, more able to stay in touch with clients.

That could translate, for example, to not missing a bankruptcy court deadline when a client remembers something at the last minute. It could also mean that lawyers are more accessible to answer questions clients have about their cases.

In various contexts, access to a tablet computer like the iPad means that a lawyer can connect to vast databases of legal publications within seconds, thus potentially streamlining the processing of much client information and of tracking down legal precedents for various courtroom maneuvers.

Highly connected lawyers have a greater likelihood of staying current with the latest legal trends reported in the mainstream media as well as traditional legal publications.

A Permanent Change in Communication?

Analysts of the impact the iPad has had (and is expected to have) on our communication and culture as a whole are not yet sure how great an impact the tablet’s introduction will have on the way we do business and conduct our personal affairs.

Some insiders suggest that, viewed through a historical lens, 2010 will mark a turning point in how we conduct business, read, interact with digital media, and go about our personal lives. Want to find out whether the iPad craze has swept your lawyer’s office? Ask him or her about technology use during your next visit. You may learn something useful!