Practice Management
MPs to probe access to justice impact of court modernisation
MPs are to probe the access to justice implications of the £1bn court modernisation programme. The justice select committee will consider issues such as the increasing use of digital technology.
Advice sector set to benefit from trio of new digital tools
LexisNexis, working closely with the Civil Justice Council and others, is poised to launch the first of three projects to create digital tools for the advice sector, it has emerged.
Top firm uses computer simulations to train new partners
UK/US giant Hogan Lovells is using computer simulations of legal practices to train new equity partners in how to run a law firm, it has emerged.
No TUPE protection for most staff shed in Lawyers Inc takeover
Only five out of 22 lawyers and staff who lost their jobs when Hull firm Ingrams collapsed were protected by the TUPE regulations when the firm was effectively taken over by an innovative ABS.
PDS employee “unfairly dismissed” after work with murderer
The Public Defender Service unfairly dismissed an employee who suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder after her work debriefing a murderer.
Judge criticises top firm for exacerbating divorce conflict
A top family law firm has been criticised by a High Court judge for exacerbating the conflict in a high-value divorce by issuing a Form A during a period when it had been agreed not to.
Tribunal issues tax warning after senior barrister’s late payment
Barristers would be “well advised” to make proper provision for tax liabilities given the “episodic” nature of their income, a tribunal has cautioned after upholding a fine against a QC hit by legal aid cuts.
Start-up aims to help NFP sector identify legal nature of problems
An AI-backed product that uses natural language processing to help not-for-profit agencies identify precisely the legal nature of a problem is set to launch next year.
Law firms “will stop using email within five years”
Email will be replaced within five years by a more secure means of communication for law firms, an expert predicted this week. Meanwhile, the SRA is using behavioural science in its messaging.
Innovate UK backs bid to create “thinking” legal AI
Contract review business ThoughtRiver has been awarded funding from the government for a £400,000 development project to develop “thinking AI”.
SRA: Law firms must be able to explain decisions made by AI
Law firms must be able to explain “automated decisions”, including those involving artificial intelligence (AI), the Solicitors Regulation Authority has warned.
SQE does “violence to law” as academic discipline
The introduction of the Solicitors Qualifying Examination does “significant violence to law as an academic discipline and to our colleagues and students”, law lecturers have argued.
Crowdfunding call to battle ‘legal tech’ trade mark
A legal technology conference organiser is attempting to crowdfund £5,000 for a challenge to the trademarking of the term ‘legal tech’, owned by a US-based legal publisher.
Discrimination claims against leading firm an “abuse of process”
An employment tribunal has ruled that claims of racial discrimination and harassment brought against national firm Shoosmiths amount to an abuse of process.
Regulators “must guard against misuse of lawtech”
AI-backed lawtech has the potential to improve access to justice but also carries a danger that automating law will be used negatively, an innovation charity has warned.
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.
