Practice Management

The challenge facing traditional law firms from artificial intelligence is not a lack of finance to invest in technology but having the right “human capital”, a study from Oxford University has argued.

Homeworking has led to many solicitors at small firms experiencing feelings of isolation and lack of motivation – but also most want it to continue in some form post-Covid, a survey has found.

A future justice system could use AI technology to inform people of their chances of success and even provide automated determinations, according to futurist Professor Richard Susskind.

A not-for-profit criminal law firm has launched  a free web app aimed at people who have been issued fines for breaching the Coronavirus Regulations.

QLTS School has become only the second training provider to announce how much it will charge students to prepare for the Solicitors Qualifying Examination from next year.

A barrister of “good judgement” who had to make rapid decisions in a “pressurised environment” was not negligent even though it turned out her client was wrongly convicted.

One law firm and five lawtech businesses have each received around £100,000 of government money to develop and accelerate commercialisation of their products and services during the pandemic.

Leading black women lawyers have spoken about the challenges of succeeding in City law firms, including the problem of acquiring ‘gravitas’, and the fear of being seen as an ‘angry Black woman’.

The Bar Standards Board is to “reflect” on the duty on barristers to report harassment, with efforts to improve reporting proving ineffective, as it looks at new measures to tackle bullying and harassment.

Chambers should conduct race equality audits and, if necessary, introduce “positive action” to address the problems identified, as well as publish anti-racist statements, the BSB is set to say.

Some of the measures used by law firms to tackle a lack of gender diversity in senior roles could be “ineffective or even counter-productive”, a report has found.

The market for professional indemnity insurance is likely to continue to worsen but future premium rises should not be at the average of 17% seen this autumn, a leading broker has predicted.

A government-backed body is directing funds towards AI products that it hopes will help make the UK the world’s leading developer of high-tech innovations in legal services.

There was no implied retainer between a businessman who found himself on the wrong end of an expensive short-term loan and the law firm acting for the lender, the High Court has ruled.

Four-fifths of legal aid lawyers have experienced stress as a result of the pandemic, with more than half of them blaming longer working hours, according to a survey.