The Supreme Court of the Philippines has passed a resolution lowering the passing grade for the bar examination from 75% to 74%. The adjustment was made in light of ongoing difficulty caused to students by the COVID-19 crisis, as well as a desire to introduce younger lawyers with more technology skills into the profession. The…
ABA and Hinshaw warn of cyber risks when remote working
The American Bar Associaton (ABA) have highlighted that when working remotely there are important considerations around privacy risks, relating to digital working that should be considered. Ruth Hill Bro, co-chair of the ABA Cybersecurity Legal Task Force, warns that “Law firms are attractive targets and the risk of cyber breaches multiplies as more employees work remotely. The…
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…
More regulatory responses to COVID-19
Following on from last month’s newsletter, we’ve put together the following list to examine different regulator responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. Here it is interesting to note the development and changes, as regulators begin to get a grasp on the crisis and develop innovative responses to meet the changing environment. If you have any questions…
Notes on the Westminster Legal Policy Forum keynote seminar – 25th February 2020
This ICLR special report has been compiled to give members a flavour of what was discussed during the annual Westminster Legal Policy Forum, held on the 25th February 2020. The theme of the day was ‘regulation, consumer protection and responding to innovation’, with speakers drawn from across regulators, representative bodies, academia and the legal services…
Digital Justice: Technology and the Internet of Disputes (Introduction)
Abstract Improving access to justice has been an ongoing but frustrating goal of our society. The theme of this book is that we have new technological tools to resolve disputes and new tools to prevent disputes. Alternative dispute resolution, namely, mediation and arbitration, brought dispute resolution out of court. Digital Justice introduces the reader to…
Law Society of Ontario technology task force releases initial observation report
In November of 2019, the Law Society of Ontario’s technology task force released their initial observations and recommendations over future regulatory approaches to tech and how it could appropriately facilitate access to justice. The Technology Task Force has been established with the aim of reviewing the Law Society’s regulatory mandate, framework, and standards to determine…
ABA releases annual profile of the legal profession
The American Bar Association has published its annual profile of the legal profession in the US. The report uses the data gathered over the course of the year to analyse changes and developments in the profession across the country. Subjects covered include women and minorities in the profession, legal technology, pro bono, pay, legal education,…
BRAK sets up new committee on legal tech
The 7th Statues Assembly, “the parliament of the legal profession” of the Bundesrechtsanwaltskammer (BRAK) held its inaugural meeting on November 4th 2019. Through a clear majority, the assembly voted to not only retain all previously established committees but also to set up a new 7th committee on legal technology. For more information about the new…
Will Artificial Intelligence Eat the Law? The Rise of Hybrid Social-Ordering Systems
Abstract Software has partially or fully displaced many former human activities, such as catching speeders or flying airplanes, and proven itself able to surpass humans in certain contests, like Chess and Jeopardy. What are the prospects for the displacement of human courts as the centerpiece of legal decision-making? Based on the case study of hate…