Practice Management
Pupil recruitment system “not virtue signalling”, QC says
The first chambers to use a recruitment system which provides ‘contextual’ information to improve diversity is not “virtue signalling”, the head of its pupillage committee has said.
Land Registry drops ‘top 50 name and shame’ plan
The Land Registry has dropped plans to publish a chart of the top 50 law firms it deals with, ranked by the number of incomplete or erroneous applications they make.
Partner wins sexual assault claim against former firm
A solicitor has won a claim of sexual harassment against her former firm after one of its partners was found to have tried to kiss her on two separate occasions.
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.
Firm “fairly dismissed” solicitor in dispute over sitting as judge
A solicitor has failed in his claim for unfair dismissal after he refused to accede to his firm’s request to stop sitting as a deputy district judge because it needed him to focus on the practice.
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.
What amounts to sexual harassment in law firms “evolving fast”
What is defined as harassment in law firms is evolving fast and a telephone call or text that was previously thought innocent might now be considered to be inappropriate, experts have warned.
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.
Smaller law firms “outperforming big practices online”
The law firms at the lower end the top 200 are punching well above their weight online, with large firms not using the natural advantage their strong brands offer to make the best of their websites.
Hallett tells senior lawyers to step up on discrimination
Top women judges have called on senior lawyers to take responsibility for ensuring there is no sexual discrimination in their organisations rather than leaving it to diversity specialists.
Blog
It’s time for law firms to ask tougher questions
For years, many law firms have treated ID verification as a box-ticking exercise. Run a liveness check, match a face to a document and move on. But that is no longer good enough.
Business fatigue to AI will risk job security
Whilst we know professional learning has always been part of career paths, to hire, retain and keep talent, AI needs to be embedded as a core part of this training.
On good authority? GenAI and the reputational risks to law firms
As GenAI’s influence grows, so do the risks which are already playing out in courtrooms across England and Wales, where some early adopters are setting precedents they would rather not.
