Eighteen Years of Tech Whiplash
- David Langdon
- 7 days ago
- 2 min read
The Sunday BlindSpot | Issue #09
This week, my youngest turned 18. She has never known a world without smartphones and tablets. In 2007 – the year she was born—the first iPhone was released, and everything began to change.
Back then, legal tech was in the middle of a big shift. Desktop applications still ruled the day, but web-based interfaces were starting to appear. The back-end systems were almost always on-premise. Integrations were rare and often custom-built, and while APIs had existed in various forms for decades, they were only just becoming a mainstream way to connect systems. Cloud computing? That was more science fiction than daily reality, and the “Dick Tracy” watch was still just a comic-strip idea, years away from becoming the Apple Watch.
The Tech Rollercoaster Since 2007
Smartphones & Tablets moved from novelty items to essential tools for work, communication, and entertainment.
Legal Tech evolved from stand-alone systems to cloud-enabled, AI-driven platforms that integrate seamlessly with other business tools.
APIs became the backbone of connectivity, enabling systems to exchange data in ways that were unthinkable in 2007.
Cloud Computing went from experimental to the default infrastructure for many businesses, including law firms.
Wearables & Assistive Technology expanded rapidly, with smart glasses, voice control, AI captioning, and autonomous vehicles making their way from prototypes into people’s lives.
Looking Ahead to 2043
If the last 18 years were fast-paced, the next 18 may redefine entire industries. Some compare the AI revolution to the industrial revolution or the dot-com boom—transformative periods that reshaped work, business models, and daily life.
The future of lawyers: Highly specialised, high-value legal advisers will still be in demand for complex, bespoke matters. But 60–80% of legal work could be automated—drafting contracts, conducting research, even managing routine disputes.
Courtrooms of the future: AI could take on more formal legal decision-making roles, particularly for lower-value or high-volume matters, speeding up the justice process.
An accessibility breakthrough: AI and automation will give people with disabilities new tools for independence and participation. Augmented-reality glasses, advanced audio computing, and self-driving cars could remove barriers that have existed for decades.
In Closing
From the early days of web-based legal software to today’s AI-powered, cloud-first systems, the last 18 years have brought extraordinary change. The next 18 will almost certainly bring more – and perhaps faster – transformation.
Whatever the pace, one thing is certain: technology will keep reshaping how we live, work, and connect. And for those of us watching the journey unfold, it’s both exciting and full of possibility.