A collaboration between the Law Society of Scotland and Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is set to provide a boost to the legal tech sector in Scotland, through assistance in developing technology-based solutions to GDPR issues. The Law Society of Scotland has signed a memorandum of understanding with the ICO which allows it to act as a…
Cologne courts raise questions over the legality of legal bots
A challenge against a ‘legal bot’ mounted by the Hanseatic Bar Association Hamburg – a self-governing body representing over 10,000 lawyers in Hamburg, has proved successful in the regional court of Cologne. In October the court found that the bot, an online contract generator, was in effect providing legal services. They ruled that this was in…
Legal Services Regulatory Authority publishes annual report
The Legal Services Regulatory Authority (LSRA) in Ireland has published its 2019 Annual Report which provides an overview of its performance for the year, including its new role in handling public complaints relating to solicitors and barristers. The Annual Report contains statistical data on complaints and early trends, including: During the 12 week period from…
Regulatory responses to COVID-19
We’ve put together the following list to examine different regulator responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. If you have any questions or best practice for the rest of the ICLR community, please do get in touch, and we will be happy to include any of these in the next newsletter. The Nederlandse Orde Van Advocaten has…
Regulatory Abdication in Practice
Abstract “Meta-regulation” refers to deliberate efforts to induce private firms to create their own internal regulations—a regulatory strategy sometimes referred to as “management-based regulation” or even “regulation of self-regulation.” Meta-regulation is often presented as a flexible alternative to traditional “command-and-control” regulation. But does meta-regulation actually work? In her recent book, Meta-Regulation in Practice: Beyond Normative Views…
Law Libraries and the Future of Public Access to Born-Digital Government Information
Abstract As government publications have shifted from print to electronic, mechanisms for guaranteeing the public’s right to access government information have not kept pace. Because legal resources are among the publications most at risk of loss, law libraries should participate in efforts to ensure that born-digital government information remains freely available to all. Citation Kunkel,…
Outlooks, Techniques, and Words: Product Design, Practicing Law, and Engaging Students in Legal Practice
Abstract This paper is a reflection by a law school teacher and corporate lawyer about learning from the design disciplines. The paper describes how design influences the author’s understanding of and approach to legal documents, his use of visual methods in doing legal work and engaging with students, and concepts and language he uses in…
Norwegian Ministry of Justice and Public Security publishes analysis of changes in lawyer regulation
Following the March 2015 report submitted by the Advokatlovutvalget (the Lawyer Commission), which suggested changes to the regulation of lawyers in Norway (see the report in Norwegian), the Norwegian Ministry of Justice and Public Security has decided to further evaluate the recommendations. The Ministry has commissioned research consultancy Copenhagen Economics to provide further analysis on two…
Law Society of Saskatchewan amends Legal Profession Act to expand access to legal services
The Law Society of Saskatchewan has announced amendments to the Legal Profession Act, 1990, effective from 1 January 2020. The Law Society is an independent regulator with the core mandate of the protection of public interest. In 2017 the Law Society and the Ministry of Justice established the Legal Services Task Team, comprised of lawyers,…
Law Society of Scotland releases guidance to improve price transparency
The Law Society of Scotland has published guidance on pricing for solicitors, aimed to improve consumer understanding of the cost of legal services. The guidance encourages firms to publish indicative pricing up-front, allowing consumers to gain a broad overview of price comparison before they contact a solicitor. The guidance will come into effect on 1…