Welcome to the blog of the Harvard Law School Program on the Legal Profession (PLP) where we share our ideas, events and research relating to the global legal profession. The changes taking place within our global economy offer challenges and opportunities to both law students and legal practitioners. With the growth of emerging economies and the explosion of technology, our law school classrooms, boardrooms and courtrooms are places where dynamic changes are taking place.

We will make sure that you have a front row seat to these changes, by sharing with you our world class research; introducing you to leading legal professionals and scholars; and interacting with you through our forums and conferences. Whether you are a student, academic, practicing attorney, or you are just interested in the legal profession, I am confident that you will find our content exciting and interesting.

Our blog will feature writings submitted by our talented team of contributors based on their experiences studying the law. We will explore the future of legal education, the changing nature of the legal industry, the global legal market, legal regulation, access to legal counsel, work-life balance of legal professionals, new business models in the professionals services, and the development of justice systems around the world, just to name a few.

Examining the profession allows us to better understand the development of societies in general. Lawyers are involved in the process of every great technological advance, social development or political movement. Whether an attorney is engaged in a matter involving the patent for of a revolutionary drug, the defense or prosecution of a multinational corporation connected to the largest environmental accident in reported history, or argues before the United States Supreme Court in a case involving an individual’s civil rights, legal practitioners have the capacity to influence the world as we know it.

We at PLP are committed to sharing our ideas and experiences as they relate to our research on the global legal profession and the contribution such research makes to legal education, the practice of law, and society. There is no better place to have the privilege to study these issues than at Harvard Law School. I hope you will join us on this exciting journey and we look forward to your feedback.

Derek Davis
Executive Director
Harvard Law School Program on the Legal Profession