A review of Unlocking the Future: Leveraging Technology for Personal and Professional Success, by Jeffrey M. Allen & Ashley Hallene (ABA Book Publishing 2025), 480 pp., ISBN 978-1-63905-629-3; e-book ISBN 978-1-63905-630-9; Senior Lawyers Division sponsor; list price $39.95.
The Book in Brief
In this book, Jeffrey Allen and Ashley Hallene aim to demystify fast-moving technologies for working professionals, especially lawyers, law librarians and others specializing in the law, by pairing plain-English explanations with practical checklists, tool rundowns, and risk-management advice. The American Bar Association positions the book as a comprehensive guide to “essential tools, AI, cybersecurity, [and] health tech,” organized into meticulously crafted chapters that double as a reference you can consult as needed. It runs 480 pages and is available in both print and e-book formats, with the Senior Lawyers Division serving as sponsor.¹ The ABA’s “New Books” listing shows a $39.95 list price.²
While the ABA page lists a publication date of June 16, 2025, some retail catalogs report an August 5, 2025 release window, useful to note for librarians tracking availability and cataloging.³
What It Covers (and How)
A core strength of the book is its breadth without unnecessary jargon. Early chapters help readers assess and assemble a personal “technology toolkit” (hardware choices, productivity software, and everyday apps) followed by deeper dives on artificial intelligence, security hygiene, backup strategies, and digital wellness, including telehealth and wearables. These emphases align closely with the ABA listing’s topical overview.¹
An ABA Senior Lawyers Division review reinforces that the book treats AI at length, flags security as the pivotal chapter (the authors label Chapter 6 the most important), and includes practical sections on passwords, anti-malware solutions, cybersecurity insurance, practice management systems, and trial tech workflows, plus an extensive app roundup in Chapter 14.⁴ Those details make the book particularly useful for solo and small-firm practices where attorneys often act as de facto IT decision-makers.
Evaluation
Audience Fit
For practicing lawyers, law librarians, paralegals, and tech curious professionals, the book reads like a cross between a field manual and an FAQ. Its structure invites targeted consultation: you can open to security to refresh password policies, jump to AI to evaluate a new tool, or consult the apps chapter when seeking a specific capability. The modularity, emphasized in the Senior Lawyers Division review, is a genuine virtue.⁴
Currency vs. Durability
Technology titles inevitably age quickly. The Senior Lawyers Division reviewer candidly notes that a reference like this risks partial obsolescence “almost before you get it delivered,” a point the authors themselves acknowledge.⁴ Even so, the security frameworks, evaluation checklists, and adoption strategies, such as configuring routers, evaluating practice-management platforms, and approaching AI ethically, are likely to remain valuable beyond any single product’s lifespan.¹⁴
Strengths
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Pragmatic scope: Clear, stepwise guidance on security, backups, networking, and technology evaluation (including practice-management and trial tech platforms).⁴
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Accessible AI coverage: Explains real-world applications and risks for everyday law practice rather than indulging in abstract hype.¹,⁴
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Reference-friendly layout: Robust app listings and chapter organization make it easy to consult selectively.⁴
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Professional context: Weaves in ethics and confidentiality considerations throughout, a valuable asset for legal audiences.⁴
Limitations
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Inevitable staleness: Product-specific recommendations and app lists will date quickly; librarians, lawyers and other readers will need supplementary updates.⁴
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Uneven depth: At least one workflow chart confused the Senior Lawyers Division reviewer, suggesting some topics may feel oversimplified for advanced users.⁴
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U.S./ABA focus: While legal professionals will find it directly relevant, non legal readers may find portions less applicable.
How It Compares
Allen and Hallene have long written about technology for lawyers and seniors; Unlocking the Future consolidates that experience into a single, comprehensive handbook. Compared to their earlier tip-focused works, this volume expands coverage of AI, cybersecurity, and workflow integration while offering more structured implementation guidance.
Suggestions for Law Librarians
For collection development, this is a sensible, high-circulation purchase for solo/small-firm and professional-skills collections. it is recommended that law librarians consider:
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Cataloging both print and e-book formats.
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Noting the differing release dates across sources for acquisitions planning.
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Preparing for a refresh cadence, supplementing the book with ABA Senior Lawyers Division updates or future editions.
Bottom line: A practical, lawyer centered technology handbook balancing foundational security frameworks and adoption strategies with timely insights on AI and emerging tools. Despite its natural aging curve, its checklists, ethics prompts, and modular structure make it a highly useful desk reference for attorneys and the professionals who support them.¹,⁴