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Innovation hots up

23 March 2017 / Roger Smith
Issue: 7739 / Categories: Opinion , Profession , Technology
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Roger Smith reviews last month’s most important developments in law & technology

The pace of technological innovation in legal services continues to step up. February began with the American Bar Association (ABA) announcing that it had already raised $600,000 for its new ABA Center for Innovation. Meanwhile, in Belfast, over 200 people turned out for the launch of a new Legal Innovation Centre at the University of Ulster, expressly built on the model of Stanford University’s Law Design Lab. The Hague Institute for the Internationalisation of Law (HiiL) was busy recognising global contributions in developing countries to the use of technology. British Columbia was announcing a step forward in its Solution Explorer—an informal dispute resolution front end to its online court. And, down in Australia, double Oscar winner Cate Blanchett was providing the voice for a digital avatar which will give advice on disability law.

Ulster

Belfast can feel like the edge of the known world. Politics are pretty ossified; the legal profession is small; academically, Queen’s has had the Province pretty well sown

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Birketts—trainee cohort

Birketts—trainee cohort

Firm welcomes new cohort of 29 trainee solicitors for 2025

Keoghs—four appointments

Keoghs—four appointments

Four partner hires expand legal expertise in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Real estate team in Yorkshire welcomes new partner

NEWS
Robert Taylor of 360 Law Services warns in this week's NLJ that adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) risks entrenching disadvantage for SME law firms, unless tools are tailored to their needs
The Court of Protection has ruled in Macpherson v Sunderland City Council that capacity must be presumed unless clearly rebutted. In this week's NLJ, Sam Karim KC and Sophie Hurst of Kings Chambers dissect the judgment and set out practical guidance for advisers faced with issues relating to retrospective capacity and/or assessments without an examination
Delays and dysfunction continue to mount in the county court, as revealed in a scathing Justice Committee report and under discussion this week by NLJ columnist Professor Dominic Regan of City Law School. Bulk claims—especially from private parking firms—are overwhelming the system, with 8,000 cases filed weekly
Charles Pigott of Mills & Reeve charts the turbulent progress of the Employment Rights Bill through the House of Lords, in this week's NLJ
From oligarchs to cosmetic clinics, strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) target journalists, activists and ordinary citizens with intimidating legal tactics. Writing in NLJ this week, Sadie Whittam of Lancaster University explores the weaponisation of litigation to silence critics
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