Abstract Technology has changed modern law practice. Ethics rules obligate lawyers to understand whether, when, and how to use it to deliver services. But most law schools do not incorporate the so-called “Duty of Technology Competence” into the required curriculum. Despite broad calls for legal education to make students more practice-ready, there is no clear…
Legal Technology: The Great Disruption?
Abstract This paper considers how legal technology, defined here as the use of digital information and communication technologies to automate or part automate legal work process, to provide decision support to legal service providers, and to provide legal information and advice directly to clients/end users, is re-shaping both legal work processes, and the organisation and…
SRA legal access challenge, reports and next steps
Following the conclusion of the SRA and Nesta Legal Access Challenge, joint reports from both the SRA and Nesta have been released which highlight the lessons learned and the future next steps that will be taken to support the development of innovation. The SRA report focuses on how the lessons learned from the challenge are…
Law Society of Hong Kong launches law tech fund
In light of the ongoing uncertainty and the potential for change in how court hearings may be undertaken in the future, the Law Society of Hong Kong has lobbied for assistance to be provided to practitioners who may not have access to the technological tools required to conduct remote hearings or transactions. On 8 April,…
Canadian Bar Association launches programme to demystify tech
The Canadian Bar Association (CBA) has opened registration for a series of lectures on digital literacy in the law. The aim is to equip legal practitioners with the digital skills to ensure that both their and their clients’ personal information is being properly handled and secured in a digital environment. The programme has been launched…
LSB podcast on how education might adapt to technology
In its latest episode of the ‘Talking Tech’ podcast, the LSB interviews Dr Adam Wyner, Associate Professor of Law and Computer Science at Swansea University. The podcast focuses on how education and regulation might change to ensure legal professionals are better equipped to deal with and meet the challenges posed by a new tech-focused environment,…
Law Society of New South Wales welcomes electronic witnessing of legal documents
Richard Harvey, President of the Law Society of New South Wales, has welcomed changes implemented by the NSW government and Attorney General, allowing for electronic witnessing of legal documents. The move has come about as a temporary reaction to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, and has been added to the Electronic Transactions Regulation 2017. Mr Harvey…
Legal Serevices Board publishes collection of articles on lawtech and regulation
The Legal Services Board (LSB) has published a collection of 11 focused on lawtech and regulation as part of its ongoing work in the area. The collection, entitled ‘Perspectives on Lawtech and Regulation’ includes contributions from Chris Handford, Director of Regulatory Policy at the SRA, discussing the regulatory challenges of lawtech; Mariette Hughes, Head Ombudsman at the…
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…
Professions and Expertise: How Machine Learning and Blockchain are Redesigning the Landscape of Professional Knowledge and Organisation
Abstract Machine learning has entered the world of the professions with differential impacts. Engineering, architecture, and medicine are early and enthusiastic adopters. Other professions, especially law, are late and in some cases reluctant adopters. And in the wider society automation will have huge impacts on the nature of work and society. This paper examines the…