Practice Management
SRA could tell law firms to pay for trainees’ SQE skills tests
The SRA could ask law firms to pay for their own research and writing skills tests when hiring trainees, instead of testing them in stage 1 of the new Solicitors Qualifying Exam, it has emerged.
E-mail footer counted as signature for property contract
A solicitor’s automated email sign-off sufficed as a ‘signature’ for the purposes of a contract involving the disposition of an interest in land, the High Court has ruled.
AI legal tech “so powerful it will need regulation”
The use of cutting-edge technology such as AI has become so powerful that legal regulators will have to regulate the tech itself rather than the providers, according to a prominent academic.
Family courts “failing” McFarlane’s wellbeing challenge
Many courts have not responded to the encouragement of the president of the Family Division to lay down acceptable working practices so as to improve wellbeing, a leading QC has claimed.
Legal Access Challenge finalists revealed
A chatbot for people with learning disabilities, tools to help women facing domestic violence, and data-supported advice on employment disputes are among the Legal Access Challenge finalists.
PI firms “ignoring” out-of-hours calls and Facebook contacts
Personal injury law firms are failing to adapt to clients using less traditional methods of contacting them by not responding when clients call them out-of-hours or via Facebook, according to new research.
SIF rule could be “catastrophic” for retired solicitors
Refusal by the Solicitors Indemnity Fund to accept notifications of potential claims could be “catastrophic” for retired solicitors, a specialist in professional regulation and insurance has warned.
Ex-partner suing firm denied sight of its NDAs
A former partner suing south-east law firm McMillan Williams over alleged sexual misconduct and harassment has been denied access to any non-disclosure agreements it may have reached.
Firm advertises for black solicitor apprentices
Well-known law firm Leigh Day has hit back at criticism from “trolls” after it advertised solicitor apprenticeships for six black students of Afro-Caribbean or African heritage.
“Confusion reigns” in applying tech to access to justice
A damning report into legal technology and access to justice has found the advice sector beset by confusion and fragmentation, with most innovation taking place in the commercial part of the profession.
Blog
Is your Google Ads budget funding your competitors’ AI visibility?
If your cost-per-click has crept up again this year, you’ve probably assumed the market simply got more expensive. That’s the wrong way to read what’s happening.
Containing the spread of unapproved AI
Nearly 60% of fee-earners admit to using unapproved tools (like free versions of ChatGPT). Yet 68% of firm leaders are confident there is zero risk of unapproved AI being used for client work.
When AI adoption goes wrong, costs add up fast
City AM recently reported that London is fighting to claim the title of ‘global capital of legal AI’. However, it’s crucial we remember that adoption alone does not create value.
