A new study has identified 11 trends and issues likely to impact the legal profession over the next decade.

"The Legal Transformation Study: Your 2020 Vision of the Future," published this month by Decision Strategies International Inc. and Legal Research Center Inc., was based on interviews conducted in 2007 and 2008 with senior partners at law firms, executives at corporate law departments and senior management at legal-services organizations.

As part of its findings, Decision Strategies outlined four possible scenarios for the delivery of legal services in the coming years:

• Blue-chip mega-mania: Emphasizes the global consolidation of legal service providers and the dominance of giant law firms with vast global presence.

• Expertopia: Envisions the increasing complexity of the law and challenges of corporations operating in multiple environments worldwide, placing a premium on specialization and expert-driven cultures.

• E-marketplace: Built on the premise that technology will be a catalyst, but not the core, for an industry transformation in which an array of technologies will make information more available and expert judgment more valuable.

• Techno-law: Contemplates rising corporate investment in automation capabilities, leaving only high-end services to be delivered by legal professionals, and potentially requiring a complete reconstruction of the traditional business models.

For more information, visit www.legaltransformation.com.