The “Client Contingency Planning Report” details proposed amendments to By-Law 7.1 by the Law Society of Ontario, aiming to enhance protection of client interests through mandatory contingency plans for all private practice licensees, which includes solicitors and paralegals. These plans are intended to address potential interruptions in legal services due to the sudden or unexpected…
Benchmarking costs of law practice in New Zealand
The Law Society’s Costs of Practice Report for March 2024 provides a detailed analysis of the expenses associated with law practice in New Zealand. It highlights the increasing overhead costs across different types and sizes of law practices, with a specific focus on staff-related costs as the primary expense driver, escalating significantly each year. The…
Law Society of Ontario provides comprehensive guidelines on the use of generative AI in legal practices
The April 2024 Futures Committee Report of the Law Society of Ontario provides comprehensive guidelines on the use of generative AI in legal practices. It emphasises the rapid evolution and integration of generative AI technologies, urging legal professionals to embrace these advancements while considering the ethical and professional implications. The report outlines the potential of…
Legal Services Board of England and Wales issues guidance on promoting technology and innovation to improve access to legal services
The Legal Services Board (LSB) of England and Wales has issued guidance aimed at promoting the use of technology and innovation within the legal sector to improve access to legal services. This guidance outlines three main outcomes that regulators should strive to achieve: enabling the use of technology and innovation to support improved access to…
The Dutch Government has introduced the Quality of Collection Services Act to address abuses in the debt collection sector. This act will impact lawyers involved in extrajudicial collection activities
The Quality of Collection Services Act, effective April 1, extends beyond debt collection agencies to encompass lawyers engaged in extrajudicial collection activities. It aims to enhance the quality of such services and address abuses in the sector, in line with coalition agreements. The Act applies specifically to extrajudicial collection activities performed or offered by professionals…
One of the key challenges for the legal profession when considering AI is its tendency to produce inaccurate information
On 7 March, the ABA Judicial Division, in collaboration with Thomson Reuters, organised a webinar to address the challenges encountered by lawyers when using generative artificial intelligence software, such as ChatGPT, and in particular its tendency to produce inaccurate information, a phenomenon referred to as “hallucination.” The webinar covered various approaches to this problem. One…
The Dutch Government has moved to strengthen access to legal advice in criminal cases
The Dutch Government aims to enhance access to free legal assistance in criminal cases by introducing new regulations, requiring suspects to receive information from a lawyer about consequences before waiving their right to consultation assistance, a move supported by the Netherlands Bar Association (NOvA). This legislation addresses concerns where suspects could previously waive legal assistance…
The Legal Services Board of England and Wales have made available recordings and resources from their recent Reshaping Legal Services Conference
On 7 March 2024, the Legal Services Board and Legal Consumer Panel organised its second annual Reshaping Legal Services Conference. The conference followed a wide range of topics, for a full programme run down follow the link here. The Legal Services Board has made available recordings of speeches and presentations as well as other resources to…
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has initiated a consultation on its potential regulation of certain types of paralegals
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has initiated a consultation regarding proposed rule changes to enable the regulation of non-authorized members of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEX). This follows CILEX’s proposal to re-delegate regulation to the SRA. While a previous consultation addressed regulation of authorized CILEX members, this new consultation focuses specifically on non-authorized…
The Chair of the House of Commons Justice Committee has presented eight key recommendations following their examination of the regulation of the legal professions in England and Wales
Sir Bob Neill KC, Chair of the House of Commons Justice Committee of the UK Parliament, has written to UK Lord Chancellor Alex Chalk KC, presenting eight key recommendations following the Committee’s examination of the regulation of the legal professions in England and Wales, highlighting the need for a review of the Legal Services Board…