Technology
Judges, not HMCTS, will have “final say” on video hearings
Judges are “embedded” in all the projects that make up the £1bn court modernisation programme and whether hearings are held by video or person will always be a matter of judicial discretion.
“Some lawyers have been suffering from GDPR fever”
Some lawyers have been suffering from “GDPR fever” over the past year and given bad advice based on limited knowledge or too cautious an approach, a leading data protection law specialist has warned.
Susskind: Lawyers wrong to think technology cannot replace them
Lawyers are wrong to think that there are tasks beyond technology that only they can carry out, Professor Richard Susskind has warned. He urged lawyers to help build the machines, not compete with them.
Let robots own property, Supreme Court justice suggests
Computers using artificial intelligence could be given separate legal personalities enabling them to own property as the law adapts to technology, a Supreme Court justice has suggested.
Call for legal AI to have “ethical black box” to explain decisions
AI should be developed in conjunction with a wide range of non-technical specialists, while an ‘ethical black box’ showing how a system made particular decisions may also be needed.
Law Commission “pauses” smart contracts project
The Law Commission has “paused” its project on smart contracts to avoid potential duplication with work being undertaken by the government-backed lawtech delivery panel.
Flight delay claims firm teams up with university to develop AI
Cheshire-based Bott & Co has unveiled a knowledge transfer partnership with the University of Manchester with the aim of incorporating artificial intelligence technology into the firm.
Court reforms “must measure impact on vulnerable litigants”
A high-powered body of experts has called for more detailed evaluations of the government’s ambitious court modernisation programme, and complained about the lack of data on its impact.
HMCTS extends court modernisation programme by a year
HM Courts and Tribunals Service has put back completion of the court modernisation programme by a year to 2023, it announced yesterday. It was originally planned to finish in 2020.
Susskind named chair of expert group to advise judges on AI
The Lord Chief Justice has set up an advisory group to provide senior judges with guidance on artificial intelligence, chaired by Professor Richard Susskind and including judges, academics and practitioners.
Blog
Why is Andrew Malkinson still paying for a crime he didn’t commit?
Like many in my profession and beyond, I have been moved by the case of Andrew Malkinson, the man who spent 17 years in prison for an awful crime he did not commit.
What is tech bloat and why is it a problem for law firms?
Too many law firms are adopting shiny new tech without first retiring their legacy systems, causing duplication and unnecessary costs.
The civil courts and the digital divide
Despite the government’s decision to increase Ministry of Justice funding, its budget for 2025-26 is still 14% lower in real terms than in 2007-08.
