Burnett, M., & Sandefur, R. L. (2022). Designing Just Solutions at Scale: Lawyerless Legal Services and Evidence-Based Regulation. Direito Público, 19(102). Around the world, billions of people lack access to justice, often because they cannot access help in resolving their justice issues. An important reason for this is that many access models rely centrally on lawyers, and…
Can AI be harnessed to aid lawyer development?
Mentoring relationships are important for the professional development of lawyers, but they are often not prioritized in today’s fast-paced legal profession. Generative artificial intelligence can transform mentoring relationships for lawyers and professionals across various industries. Generative AI can provide personalized learning experiences tailored to the needs of each mentee, based on their background, skills, and…
Legal Practitioners’ Liability Committee of Victoria, Australia, publishes guide for lawyers using AI in legal practice
The Legal Practitioners’ Liability Committee, an independent statutory authority providing professional indemnity insurance to Victorian barristers and solicitors as well as many of Australia’s national law firms, has published a guide on the limitations and risks for lawyers using generative AI in their practices. The popularity of generative AI platforms has increased among lawyers, offering…
The Victorian Legal Services Board + Commissioner provides initial comments on generative AI platforms
The Victorian Legal Services Board + Commissioner has provided initial comments on ChatGPT and other generative AI platforms. The comments outline what ChatGPT is and the potential benefits and risks of using a generative AI platform for lawyers in their work. ChatGPT is a large language model (LLM) that generates human-like text on various topics…
The Law Society of Scotland launches new guide for creating a wellbeing strategy
The Law Society of Scotland has launched a new resource called the Guide to creating a Wellbeing Strategy to support the mental and physical wellbeing of legal professionals. The guide outlines a three-step process to develop a wellbeing strategy, including securing the support of senior workplace leaders and consulting with colleagues on the wellbeing support…
The New Zealand Law Society Te Kāhui Ture o Aotearoa has outlined its future membership proposition
The New Zealand Law Society Te Kāhui Ture o Aotearoa has outlined its future membership proposition. This includes working on a representative strategy to provide financially sustainable representative services to its members. The intention is to continue delivering services in an enduring way. The matter will be discussed with the Council in the coming months….
The American Bar Association House of Delegates has adopted new rules regarding due diligence obligations for lawyers
The American Bar Association House of Delegates has adopted new rules regarding due diligence obligations for US lawyers. The proposed changes to Model Rule 1.16 will explicitly outline lawyers’ due diligence obligations to inquire about and assess the facts and circumstances of a matter, helping them avoid unknowingly getting involved in clients’ criminal and fraudulent…
The New South Wales solicitor profession has made positive progress on gender equity
A study commissioned by the Law Society of New South Wales (NSW) in Australia shows positive momentum towards gender equality in the legal profession, with modest improvements in career expectations compared to their male colleagues. The 2022 Annual Profile of Solicitors NSW reveals a growing, vibrant, and diverse profession that is actively working to attract…
Bar Standards Board of England and Wales publishes guidance for barristers in non-professional life, especially the use of social media
The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has approved new guidance, including revised Social Media Guidance and new Guidance on the Regulation of Non-Professional Conduct. The aim is to clarify the regulatory boundaries for barristers’ conduct outside their professional practice, which can impact public confidence in the profession. The BSB Handbook states that barristers must not behave…
JP McDowell, Managing Partner at Fieldfisher Ireland, calls for more power to regulators
JP McDowell, managing partner of Fieldfisher in Ireland, a leading international law firm representing various Irish professional regulators, has advocated for granting more regulatory bodies the authority to conduct searches, seize documents, and bring prosecutions. McDowell highlighted the importance of transparency in regulatory processes and welcomed recent scrutiny of regulatory practices. He emphasized the need…