Technology
Susskind: Machines will replace lawyers if they deliver better outcomes
Clients value lawyers for the outcomes they deliver and will switch to technology based alternatives if they produce the better or cheaper results, Professor Richard Susskind has claimed.
County court to test video hearings in year-long pilot
A year-long pilot to hear applications to set aside county court default judgments by an internet-enabled video link will begin at the end of this month.
High Court judge: ethical and legal framework for AI “imperative”
An ethical and legal framework is “imperative” for artificial intelligence and the financial world had shown what happened without one, a High Court judge has warned.
Eversheds rolls out app to capture internal innovation ideas
A global law firm has designed and implemented a crowdsourcing web app to harness innovative ideas from its thousands of employees worldwide.
Robot judges less likely than AI-assisted judges, QC predicts
Artificial intelligence is likely to be used to lower the cost and increase the speed of judicial decisions, a QC specialising in IT and algorithms has predicted.
Technology “can help conveyancers meet consumer demands”
Only a tiny number of conveyancing firms are committed to innovation, while consumers are pressing for technology that gives them access to information, a survey said.
New tech demands code of “cyber ethics” for lawyers
The legal profession will have to develop “cyber ethics” to cope with the very different issues that the growing use of technology is having on the practice of law.
Clients “must be told whether legal advice is AI or human”
As legal advice is increasingly driven by AI, clients will have to be informed whether they are being advised by a machine or a human lawyer, a top judge has urged.
Land Registry aims for first digital property transfer
The Land Registry has set itself the target of completing the first fully digital transfer of a property in the coming year to prove the value of smart contracts.
PI claimants “increasingly comfortable” with online service
More people than ever are prepared to have their personal injury claim handled completely online, according to research by a leading law firm as it prepares to become ‘small claims ready’.
Blog
The importance of benchmarking reports – and lessons on profitability
Regional firms reported the largest revenue growth this year (12%), outpacing their City counterparts. Yet many are not converting that growth into profitability.
Fixed recoverable costs: Sacrificing justice for predictability?
The extended fixed recoverable costs regime is failing to achieve its stated objectives. Instead of promoting fairness and efficiency, the rules are creating anomalies that undermine justice.
Expectations keep rising, so prioritise client experience
Law firms are facing growing pressure to place greater focus on client experience or risk falling behind in an increasingly competitive legal market.
