Legal practice
Legal services market – who are you afraid of?
I first wrote on this subject for the Newsletter in early 2013. My views have changed quite a lot in the four years since then. I believe we’ve seen that big is not always better, that well run, customer-focused, local law firms can survive and that trying to roll up 200 separate law firms under […]
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Private prosecution – a viable alternative
A surprisingly large number of lawyers are unaware of the right to bring a private prosecution and the potential benefits that such a course of action can bring. A private prosecution is a ‘criminal law’ action and is prosecuted in the criminal courts but if utilised effectively, it can be a very useful tactic either […]
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The intangible law firm
A view from across the pond. Remember all those ludicrous predictions you kept hearing about how law firms were some day going to invest heavily in intelligent technology that could do legal work? Funny thing about that: some day is today. Here’s what’s actually happening, right now, with advanced technology in law firms: Kira Systems’ machine-learning document […]
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Why the legal industry shouldn’t wait for QASA
As reported in Legal Futures, the much delayed Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates (QASA) – originally scheduled for implementation in December 2011 – is still showing no sign of movement. QASA has been described as “the only way” to protect all members of the public involved in criminal proceedings “at an upper level” but has […]
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The “dispersed” law firm
Nick Holmes and I have been covering “virtual law firms” in the Internet Newsletter for Lawyers since 2006. In May 2007, I wrote an article called “Virtual Law Firms – where we are now” which looked at several of the firms we had already covered, and cross linked this with the size of firm, the […]
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Legal Web Watch April 2016: Never mind the quantity
This article first appeared in Legal Web Watch April 2016. Legal Web Watch is a free monthly email service which complements the Internet Newsletter for Lawyers. To receive Legal Web Watch regularly sign up here. We all know the term “clickbait”: content, especially that of a sensational or provocative nature, whose main purpose is to […]
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Law firms still not proactively investing in IT?
It is now nearly 20 years ago since my book Legal Practice in the Digital Age was first published. The book’s central theme was that despite all the money law firms were spending on technology in those days, most of this money (money which might otherwise be going to partners) was being spent on the wrong stuff. […]
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Sharing, caring and re-intermediating
Susan Mclean has written an excellent article in the May issue of Computers & Law on The Rise of the Sharing Economy, its challenges and the legal issues concerned. I’d recommend you read it! The purpose of this article is to point to some useful further resources and alternative perspectives that may help in our […]
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New cloud-based case and practice management system from DPS
DPS Software have launched a new web-based practice management system for law firms incorporating team and personal target management tools as well as all the benefits of the DPS case management software. It allows fee earners to record time, create attendance notes, dictate against a file, create emails from tasks and view their file history […]
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A barrister-only ABS enabled by technology
Richmond Chambers LLP is an award-winning, innovative partnership of specialist immigration barristers. Authorised by the SRA as the first barrister-only ABS in July 2013, our members share a core commitment to providing high quality immigration law advice and representation directly to the public. Following the introduction of the public access scheme for immigration work in […]
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Reinventing law
ReInvent Law London 2014 took place on 20 June. This was its third London outing. It appeared first in 2012 as Law Tech Camp and was renamed ReInvent Law for 2013. I have attended all three and gave a presentation at this year’s event. ReInvent Law is the brainchild of Daniel Katz and Renee Knake […]
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Legal Web Watch June 2014
Legal Web Watch is a free monthly email service which complements the Internet Newsletter for Lawyers. To receive Legal Web Watch regularly sign up here. Follow Nick Holmes on Twitter @nickholmes. Reinventing law – the Twitter story Reinvent Law London 2014, a conference featuring presentations on "law + technology + innovation + entrepreneurship" was held […]
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