On April 22, 2021, the Convocation of the Law Society of Ontario approved the Technology Task Force’s “Regulatory Sandbox for Innovative Technological Legal Services” Report. As a result, a five-year pilot project will be launched in Q4 of 2021. In the pilot approved participants will be granted express permission by the Law Society to serve…
Victorian Legal Services Board and Commissioner welcomes findings of report into sexual harrasment in the court system
The Victorian Legal Services Board and Commissioner has responded to a new report examining Sexual Harassment in Victorian Courts. The report was independently produced by Dr Helen Szoke, former Commissioner of the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission. The final report was released on the 19th of April, and examined measures to prevent sexual…
New Zealand Law Society released new rules governing lawyer behaviour
The New Zealand Law Society | Te Kāhui Ture o Aotearoa will implement new rules on lawyer behaviour, with an emphasis on tackling bullying and harassment, from July the 1st. The amended rules will clarify the standards of behaviour expected of lawyers when engaging with clients and colleagues. New Zealand Law Society | Te Kāhui…
Event: Inclusion and Diversity at the Bar
May 19, 2021 Online In conjunction with the Employed Barristers’ Committee of the Bar Council, BACFI has invited our Director General Mark Neale to speak about his involvement with the our Reverse Mentoring Scheme as a mentee along with student Agatha Rockson who is a mentor, in the hope that more students and barristers will be encouraged to take part in…
Legal Services Regulatory Authority of Ireland report highlights 33% increase in complaints about legal practitioners
On April the 7th the LSRA published its first complaints report for 2021 which shows it received 805 complaints in a six month period, demonstrating a 33% increase on the previous period. The report, entitled Independent Complaints Handling, gives details around the LSRA’s investigative activities in the reporting period of 7 September 2020 to 26…
First Alternative Business Structures approved in USA
The first two fully licenced alternative business structures (ABSs) have been approved by the state of Arizona. On the 17th March 2021, two businesses, Trajan Estate LLC and Gilbert and Payne Huebsch PLC received their ABS license after the State Supreme Court approved their bids. Trajan Estate is a legal service provider focused on estate…
Nederlandse Orde van Advocaten launches a self-assessment tool for lawyer CPD
The Nederlandse Orde van Advocaten (NOvA) has launched a self-assessment tool designed to assist lawyers with CPD. The online platform is entirely voluntary, to use, and allows lawyers to assess their own progress on metrics of expertise, interaction and attitude. This allows them to reflect on their own professional development, and to identify areas of…
Law Society of New South Wales urges firms to commit to the elimination of sexual harassment in the workplace
The Law Society of New South Wales (NSW) has called for law firms and legal practices around NSW to affirm their commitment to eliminating sexual discrimination, harassment and bullying in the workplace by signing up to the Law Society’s ‘Charter for the Advancement of Women in the Legal Profession’. President of the Law Society of…
Illinois Supreme Court announces new task force to review court fees
The Illinois Supreme Court and Chief Justice Anne M. Burke has announced the formation of a Supreme Court Statutory Court Fees Task Force. The task force has been established to conduct a thorough review of the new Criminal and Traffic Assessment Act (CTAA), an act designed to reduce the statutory fees imposed or assessed on…
American Bar Association issues new guidance on remote working and ethical use of technology
The American Bar Association Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility has released a formal opinion cataloguing the relevant model rules and technological considerations that lawyers should be aware of when practising virtually. The opinion (Formal Opinion 498) identifies some of the minimum requirements for virtual practice under the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct…