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January 11th, 2012 by Gwynne Monahan

Digging into Survey: Student PC v Mac Usage Revisited

Last week were were exhibiting at Association of American Law Schools annual conference, and we noticed quite a few iPhone and iPad users. Going back to 2010′s Macs in Law Offices Survey, we learned that more than half of law students use Macs instead of PCs and planned to use Macs in their office when they graduated. The exact figure, in 2010, was 63.41%. In 2011, that number jumped to 76.47%.

In 2010, we noted this to be surprising due to the fact that most law schools partner with third parties to administer exams, which usually requires a Windows-based machines running Internet Explorer. So we offered an interpretation, mainly brand recognition and loyalty:

Law students fresh from undergrad may still use their Macs, and thus take them with to law school. Doing so may introduce non-Mac law students to Mac computers, and the ease of use they might already associate with iPhones, iPads and iPods.

This year, the reason for the jump isn’t clear, but we’re willing to bet it has to do with the ubiquitous iPhone and, perhaps more importantly, the release of the iPad2. There’s no denying the iPad has been a boon to educators and students alike, and that it’s gradually been adopted by the legal profession. From going paperless for depositions, to using it in meetings to Tablet Legal, a blog devoted to all things iPad and lawyerly, the iPad is proving to be a valuable, useful tool for lawyers. So it stands to reason that law students would also find it useful and valuable, which may account for the rise in those looking to use Macs in their offices when they graduate.

There are certainly other factors at work, so what do you think?