REFLECTIONS-NOVEMBER 3 2021

THIS IS REFLECTIONS, our weekly roundup of events in the legal and technology sector, covering various topics and interesting learning points for today’s professionals.

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Junior Lawyer Virtual Lunch on Tech and Key Skills for Junior Lawyers.

DATE: 3rd November 2021

DURATION: 1:30pm-2:15pm

SUMMARY

Developing core skills as a young lawyer such as being Commercially aware, Good Communication, Analytical and Logical Reasoning are key skills to develop in order to navigate the Legal Profession.

Being commercially aware means possessing knowledge of current developments in local, national and world business, particularly any issues that impact a law firm and its clients. Thus, it is essential a lawyer understands fully the impact.

Junior Lawyer Virtual Lunch on Tech and Key Skills for Junior Lawyers

The event started off with the host Christopher Tart-Robert giving professional insights into the Legal Technology industry and navigating it.

The event was a continuation of the previous lunch series. This session was divided into the quiz session and the networking session.

Chris talked briefly about how Law firms and in-house teams are increasingly providing services to their clients and stakeholders that are broader than ‘traditional’ legal services, particularly in relation to legal technology. In providing these wider services, teams need a more diverse range of business professionals within them than they have done in the past.

Over the years, the legal profession has been known for being conservative and traditional. However, globalization and technological advancement have swept through the legal profession thus, it has been realized that technology plays an important role in an effective and efficient justice system in the world.

The adoption of technology in the legal profession has played a significant role and transformation by increasing the productivity and transparency between Lawyers and Clients. Technology has also introduced the ease of research among legal professionals and significantly eases access to all necessary details.

In providing services in relation to legal technology there is the need for a diverse range of business professionals such as Compliance and Consulting services, Human Resources Management, Business Development roles, etc.

These ‘non-traditional’ roles complement the skills needed and create diversity.

In attendance were Sophie Gould, Sally O’Kane, Max Davies, Christopher Tart-Robert and others.

INNOVATION, LAW TECH AND PRO BONO IN WALES

The first speaker noted that Pro bono should not be seen as an option or alternative to access the justice system. The speaker noted that the provision of legal advice can be increased by technology and innovations to improve access to Justice.

Liz Withers
The speaker talked about the challenges being faced in accessing legal services by the people, she noted that access to justice is a big issue and this should be addressed, the speaker also noted that the use of technology is important in the legal space if access to Justice is to be achieved.
She further noted that Covid-19 has changed a lot of things and technology in the legal space and system can no longer be ignored.

Richard Owen
The speaker noted that the pandemic has pushed the need for technology cool disruption in the legal system quicker than expected, the speaker mentioned that a major issue being faced is that the pandemic has had a certain effect on some groups of people, he noted that there are pieces of evidence that old people have had difficulty to access legal aid due to the need to use technology and also disabled people have issues in accessing legal aid.
He noted that some people can only be reached face-to-face and this is extremely difficult due to the pandemic.
He also mentioned that another problem being faced is that, it’s difficult for some people to gain access to the internet and therefore can’t access the legal system.

Stefano Barazza
The speaker noted that there is a need to understand the legal issues which people are facing, he also mentioned that they would have to speak to lots of regulatory agencies in order to get access to Justice through technology-enabled, he mentioned that there is a need to identify key legal issues the agencies face and once this done, there is a need to find out how to solve the issues. The speaker also noted that there is a need to solve these issues before the use and adoption of technology can be discussed properly.