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Technology will revolutionise the practice of law ‘within a generation’, the Chancellor of the High Court said.
Giving the inaugural Law Society lecture on the ‘Future of Law’, Sir Geoffrey Vos urged lawyers to think ahead and embrace innovation. Lawyers and judges, he said are renowned for being a conservative bunch and accepting change at a glacial speed. But: ‘In a world of rapid technological advance, we can no longer afford to be thought of in that way,’ he said.
Vos said dispute resolution will need to be speedier and cheaper for ‘the millennial generation, which expect to be able to obtain everything they want in an instant on their mobile devices’ and ‘will not make an exception for justice’.
He predicted that smart contracts and automated documentation will reduce the ‘grunt work’ for transactional lawyers, but said ‘talk of the end of litigation in the 21st century is overstated’ as the technology that seeks to predict the outcome of cases, cannot take into account ‘human frailties’ and emotions that motivate litigants.
Crime, he suggested will be different ‘once the digital revolution is complete’ with cyber and sex crime the most prevalent, and criminal prosecutions will reduce over the next 30 years, because of the increased use of mobile phones to record and track our movements. But he did not think that computers would replace juries.
Technology will revolutionise the practice of law ‘within a generation’, the Chancellor of the High Court said.
Giving the inaugural Law Society lecture on the ‘Future of Law’, Sir Geoffrey Vos urged lawyers to think ahead and embrace innovation. Lawyers and judges, he said are renowned for being a conservative bunch and accepting change at a glacial speed. But: ‘In a world of rapid technological advance, we can no longer afford to be thought of in that way,’ he said.
Vos said dispute resolution will need to be speedier and cheaper for ‘the millennial generation, which expect to be able to obtain everything they want in an instant on their mobile devices’ and ‘will not make an exception for justice’.
He predicted that smart contracts and automated documentation will reduce the ‘grunt work’ for transactional lawyers, but said ‘talk of the end of litigation in the 21st century is overstated’ as the technology that seeks to predict the outcome of cases, cannot take into account ‘human frailties’ and emotions that motivate litigants.
Crime, he suggested will be different ‘once the digital revolution is complete’ with cyber and sex crime the most prevalent, and criminal prosecutions will reduce over the next 30 years, because of the increased use of mobile phones to record and track our movements. But he did not think that computers would replace juries.
Far-ranging month for the Chair of the Bar
Endometriosis Awareness North, a charity raising awareness of endometriosis and supporting those affected across the North of England, has received a £500 boost from AlphaBiolabs via the company’s Giving Back initiative
Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs, examines the most recent data on alcohol misuse in the UK, and the implications for alcohol testing in family proceedings
Clement Cowley, Partner at The Penny Group, explains how tailored financial planning can help barristers take control of their finances and plan with confidence
Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs
A £500 donation from AlphaBiolabs has been made to the leading UK charity tackling international parental child abduction and the movement of children across international borders
Seeing the full picture – Baljit Ubhey OBE outlines the CPS action plan to tackle violence against women and girls, offering insights directly relevant to courtroom practice
Heritage as an anchor and a compass, finding our common humanity and embracing the power of the outsider – Melina Antoniadis’s lessons learnt
Is the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office process fit for purpose? Women barristers’ experiences of bullying are not being reported or, if they are, they are not making it through the system, says Tana Adkin KC
Review by Daniel Barnett
Chair of the Bar reports back
