You probably know all about IQ, but have you ever heard about EQ (also referred to as EI)?

EQ/EI is short for emotional intelligence which, in a nutshell, refers to the ability to express and control one's own emotions as well as effectively understand, interpret, and respond to the emotions of others. For lawyers, emotional intelligence manifests itself as open and constructive expression, reliability, demonstrated resilience, as well as the ability to both inspire growth and manage firm-wide risk.

Now that millennials are entering the workforce in droves, law firms are feeling the full effects of working alongside their '80s and '90s-born counterparts. The generation, despite it's negative reputation, is an interesting and often-debated group. Truth be told, if you're over the age of 30, you've probably witnessed (or participated in) your fair share of complaint-filled conversations with coworkers.

More often than not, the millennial name surfaces alongside feelings of entitlement and the need for hand-holding, but the reality is that the millennials, in tandem with new media and technology, are changing the game for countless industries. After much research and debate, the MerusCase team has come up with the 4 biggest ways that millennials are changing the legal industry (for the better, we think):

We've all been there: you've just received an email containing an important document that you need to sign. What do you do?

A. Begrudgingly print the document, sign it, scan it, and email it back to the sender.
B. Give everyone in your firm a stamp with your signature on it so that you never have to sign again.
C. Skip the monotonous process of printing and scanning and utilize a digital signature instead.

Do you know anyone who doesn't take to the Internet in order to make a decision? Whether it's somewhere to eat, a new pair of shoes, or - you guessed it - choosing a lawyer, the Internet is a completely normal part of the modern decision-making process. Optimizing your presence on the Internet is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to using search engine and social media marketing to acquire new clients!