Blast from the Past: Usenet and IRC’s Unfulfilled Potential in Legal Services
Source: SCL Usenet and IRC in Legal Services – The Missed Opportunities In the early 2000s, both Usenet and IRC (Internet Relay Chat) were considered potential tools for lawyers to communicate and collaborate online. At a time when email was becoming the primary mode of communication, some predicted that these platforms could play a significant […]
Blast from the Past: The Evolution of Email in Legal Services
Source: SCL The Early Days of Email in Law Firms In 2003, email was already becoming the cornerstone of legal communication, and predictions suggested that it would remain the dominant tool for years to come. Legal professionals were expected to rely on email for both internal and external communication, with its speed and efficiency offering […]
AI in Law: The Rapid Rise and Uncertain Future of Legal Fees
Source: LegalFutures The adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) among lawyers is accelerating rapidly, but its impact on traditional fee structures remains uncertain. According to a recent LexisNexis report titled Fast Law: Why Speed is the Priority for Lawyers Using AI, four out of five lawyers are currently using or planning to use AI tools. This […]
The Future of Legal Pricing: Can AI Finally Disrupt the Billable Hour?
Source: Bruce MacEwen & Janet Stanton of Adam Smith Esq. For over half a century, the billable hour has been the dominant pricing structure in legal services, despite mounting criticism. Key objections have centred around its misalignment with client interests, arbitrary rate-setting, and lack of correlation between time spent and value delivered. Clients often desire […]
How Legal Tech Is Driving Cost Savings in Corporate Legal Departments
Source: CLOC Legal technology has become essential for corporate legal departments aiming to optimize their spending and drive efficiency. According to a Legaltech report, legal departments increasingly see tech solutions as critical to achieving these goals, with 78% of them labelling legal technology as a “must-have.” As businesses strive to become leaner, legal technology is […]
Blast From The Past: A Look Back at What the Future Held for Lawyers in 2005
Source: Cambridge University Press What did the future hold for a practising lawyer? In 2005, predicting the future of the legal profession was no easy task. However, it was clear that technology would play a crucial role. Lawyers were expected to use technology to handle tasks once managed manually, with predictions that by 2010, most […]
Unleashing the Legal Department’s True Value: From Cost Center to Business Catalyst
Source: Forbes The legal function’s contribution to a business often goes unrecognised, limited by a narrow focus on cost and internal efficiency. Traditionally seen as a cost centre, the true potential of legal departments is far greater when measured by customer-centric and enterprise-aligned metrics. By applying the right business metrics, legal can become a proactive […]