{"id":22579,"date":"2018-02-14T10:39:08","date_gmt":"2018-02-14T10:39:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.legalgeek.co\/?p=22579"},"modified":"2018-02-14T10:39:08","modified_gmt":"2018-02-14T10:39:08","slug":"lawyers-code-partner-turned-coder","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.legalgeek.co\/lawyers-code-partner-turned-coder\/","title":{"rendered":"Lawyers Who Code: The Partner-turned-Coder"},"content":{"rendered":"

Legal Geek is compiling a \u2018hack-book\u2019 of lawyers and legaltechies who code. If you code, or are learning to code, we would love to include you in our \u2018hack-book\u2019. Drop us a line via press@legalgeek.co [yes it is .co].<\/em><\/p>\n

\"FigueirasAlejandra Figueiras<\/a> is a former managing partner of law firm Figueiras & Fischbach who learned to code in Python at the age of 42 as part of her participation in a data science programme at the Data Incubator in Washington \u2013 where she remains the only lawyer to have attended the programme.<\/p>\n

Why did you want to learn to code?<\/h2>\n

“I was absolutely devoted to the legal profession but I always liked technology. I had founded my own law firm with colleagues and ran it for 12 years. At a certain point in my career I felt we were doing things wrongly. I began to wonder how we could do things in a more efficient manner.<\/p>\n

“In today\u2019s world, the knowledge we can acquire can be superficial. I like more in-depth knowledge. I wanted to know what was behind the magic that happens when you use, say, an app.<\/p>\n

“I thought that if I want to be able to talk about data science and technology, I really need to know what I am talking about.<\/p>\n

“So I decided to enrol in Washington\u2019s Data Incubator, and was accepted. Although they said you didn\u2019t need to code, it was pretty clear after I had been admitted that you needed to know it before you arrived.”<\/p>\n

How did you learn to code?<\/h2>\n

“When I was accepted to the Data Incubator, I didn\u2019t even know how to open the shell of my computer! So I had a tutor two days-a-week for four months to help me learn.<\/p>\n

“When I wasn\u2019t with the tutor, I was full-time teaching myself through on-line tutorials.<\/p>\n

“So by the time I went to Washington I had reached a level I was comfortable with.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was then in Washington for two months, studying coding for 8 hours-a-day. We did coding challenges first thing in the morning, every day.\u00a0I also built a web app for my Capstone Project (both front and back end), all by myself.\u00a0I developed another region of my brain!<\/p>\n

“When you learn a new language, you learn about \u2018false friends\u2019 and grey areas but coding is really clear.\u00a0 I also learned to change my language from many words and grey areas to the language of computers.\u201d<\/p>\n

How difficult was it to learn?<\/h2>\n

\u201cIt was a very challenging time in my career! And for me it would not have been possible without a tutor. There are great tutorials online but the opportunity to ask my own questions is very important when you know nothing about it to begin with.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn Washington, I was the only lawyer to have ever taken the course. I was always embarrassed because I was slower and everything was very difficult for me, but at the same time I was proud of overcoming the challenge.<\/p>\n

“The aim for most of the people was to get a job in data science. Yet being able to code professionally was not my aim.”<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.legalgeek.co\/read\/should-law-students-learn-to-code\/<\/p>\n

How has learning to code benefitted you?<\/h2>\n

“I now have a pretty complete overview of coding and the tools available to create software.<\/p>\n

“My level is basic but I can read an algorithm and, more or less, understand what\u2019s going on.<\/p>\n

“I am now close to closing my own circle of understanding within data science and technology and I am doing a lot of research into the application of these tools to the legal field. When my understanding is complete, I will decide what to do next.<\/p>\n

“I like law very much but I like the crossover with data and technology even more. And put together it can be an amazing combination.”<\/p>\n

Would you recommend learning to code to other lawyers?<\/h2>\n

“If you want to be a lawyer who knows what technology can do then you should learn to code \u2013 or at least have an understanding of coding. Which is different to learning to code. As a Spanish-speaker I can read a book in Italian but I couldn\u2019t write a book in Italian.<\/p>\n

“It will give you a perspective of what you can do. If you limit yourself to using tech tools you can be a very good user of tools but if you want to really innovate and set your own limits, learning to code is very useful.”<\/p>\n

Legal Geek Conference<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n