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Rise of the machines (Pt 2)

31 March 2017 / Malcolm Dowden
Issue: 7740 / Categories: Features , Profession , Technology , Commercial
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Malcolm Dowden & Kizzie Fenner examine the evidential potential of the Internet of Things & the benefits of smart contracts

  • IoT sensors can plug the evidential gap for goods damaged in transit.
  • Data from IoT sensors can support more flexible contracting, with price dynamically adjusting with conditions.

Around 90% of world trade is carried by sea. International law governing the carriage of goods has evolved over centuries. Today, international treaties, conventions, the common law and national statutes all play a part. While their application and nuances have been explored by courts and tribunals around the world, issues of legal principle, as well as of commercial, practical significance remain unresolved.

A recent decision of the English Court of Appeal suggests that those areas of doubt and controversy are also areas of significant opportunity for “smart contracts” and the “internet of things” (IoT).

Shifting burden of proof

In Volcafe v CSAV [2016] EWCA Civ 1103, [2016] All ER (D) 87 (Nov) the Court of Appeal considered where the burden of proof lies

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

DWF—19 appointments

DWF—19 appointments

Belfast team bolstered by three senior hires and 16 further appointments

Cadwalader—Andro Atlaga

Cadwalader—Andro Atlaga

Firm strengthens leveraged finance team with London partner hire

Knights—Ella Dodgson & Rebecca Laffan

Knights—Ella Dodgson & Rebecca Laffan

Double hire marks launch of family team in Leeds

NEWS
Bea Rossetto of the National Pro Bono Centre makes the case for ‘General Practice Pro Bono’—using core legal skills to deliver life-changing support, without the need for niche expertise—in this week's NLJ
Small law firms want to embrace technology but feel lost in a maze of jargon, costs and compliance fears, writes Aisling O’Connell of the Solicitors Regulation Authority in this week's NLJ
Writing in NLJ this week, Victoria Rylatt and Robyn Laye of Anthony Gold Solicitors examine recent international relocation cases where allegations of domestic abuse shaped outcomes
Charlie Mercer and Astrid Gillam of Stewarts crunch the numbers on civil fraud claims in the English courts, in this week's NLJ. New data shows civil fraud claims rising steadily since 2014, with the King’s Bench Division overtaking the Commercial Court as the forum of choice for lower-value disputes
Artificial intelligence may be revolutionising the law, but its misuse could wreck cases and careers, warns Clare Arthurs of Penningtons Manches Cooper in this week's NLJ
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