The VLSB+C’s Risk Outlook 2023 highlights five risks for the Victorian profession that will be areas of regulatory focus for the coming year. The publication describes issues and conduct associated with each risk that have the potential to cause consumer harm and explains the planned response to them. These risks include: Cyber security Costs disclosure…
The Bar Standards Board of England and Wales issues consultation on amendments to widen powers to protect the public
The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has issued a consultation document seeking views on proposed changes to widen its powers to protect the public. The proposed changes include giving Disciplinary Tribunals the power to impose interim restrictions on a barrister’s practising certificate and extending the BSB’s power to refer a person to an interim suspension panel….
Legal Services Board of England and Wales annual report finds progress in regulation driving better legal services
The Legal Services Board (LSB) has published its Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023. The report focuses on ensuring legal services are accessible and better meet the needs of society. The report covers the second year of the LSB’s ‘Reshaping Legal Services’ strategy. The key projects and activities during the…
Legal Services Regulatory Authority of Ireland welcomes passage of the Courts and Civil Law Bill 2023
The Legal Services Regulatory Authority (LSRA) of Ireland has welcomed the passage of the Courts and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023, which contains a range of reforms including amendments to the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015. The amendments are related to the levy on legal practitioners and aim to simplify the funding model for…
Law Society of New Zealand warns lawyers about the use of ChatGPT
The Law Society of New Zealand has warned lawyers about the use of AI chatbot ChatGPT for obtaining basic legal guidance and information. While the chatbot has access to a lot of online legal material and can draft legal documents quickly, its responses have been labelled imperfect and problematic. The article also highlights the regulatory…
The National Requirement Review Committee of Canada is conducting a review of National Requirements.
The National Requirement Review Committee (NRRC) is conducting a comprehensive review of the National Requirement, which specifies the knowledge and skills required for graduates of Canadian law school programs and internationally trained graduates and lawyers to be admitted to law society admission programs in the Canadian common law jurisdictions. The NRRC has received input from…
Ethics and access: Striking the right balance
Mark Neale’s blog discusses the key debate around whether ethical lawyers should avoid certain clients on public interest grounds and whether the regulator should police the profession’s choice of client. It emphasizes that lawyers, especially barristers, are not just there to do their clients’ bidding, right or wrong. Read the full story here.
American Bar Association issues guidance on using legal assistants
The American Bar Association Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility has issued a formal opinion that provides guidance for lawyers on how to use legal assistants to perform client intake tasks under ABA Model Rules. The opinion highlights the benefits of using nonlawyer assistants but also warns that without proper policies, training, and supervision,…
A Solicitors Regulation Authority report has found unbundling legal services could improve access to justice
A Solicitors Regulation Authority Report has found that unbundling legal services could make legal help more affordable for those on low incomes and increase the client base for law firms. Unbundling is a process where the tasks that make up a service are divided between the consumer and provider, allowing clients to carry out some…
AI and the courts: Will machine learning decision making ever replace judges?
Sir Geoffrey Vos, the Master of the Rolls and Head of Civil Justice in England and Wales gave a recent speech on the possibility of AI replacing humans in decision making roles. He made a number of key points: * AI technology is unlikely to replace human beings in judicial decision-making in complex, personal cases….