<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><rss xmlns:a10="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title>UUÂãÁÄÖ±²¥</title><link>/blog/</link><description /><category>In-house</category><category>Future of Law</category><category>Events</category><category>Research &amp; legal analysis</category><category>Students</category><a10:contributor><a10:name> </a10:name></a10:contributor><a10:contributor><a10:name> </a10:name></a10:contributor><a10:contributor><a10:name> </a10:name></a10:contributor><a10:contributor><a10:name> </a10:name></a10:contributor><a10:contributor><a10:name> </a10:name></a10:contributor><a10:contributor><a10:name> </a10:name></a10:contributor><a10:contributor><a10:name> </a10:name></a10:contributor><a10:contributor><a10:name> </a10:name></a10:contributor><a10:contributor><a10:name> </a10:name></a10:contributor><a10:link rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" href="/blog/feeds/lexisnexis" /><item><guid isPermaLink="false">urn:uuid:3d7e3f62-b6f6-4121-9e25-1a0e8379174c</guid><link>/blog/in-house/navigating-challenges-in-house-legal-departments-in-2025-with-legal-ai</link><category>In-house</category><title>Top challenges facing in-house legal departments in 2025</title><description>Explore key trends for in-house legal teams in 2025, focusing on AI, cybersecurity, collaboration, and work-life balance.</description><pubDate>Fri, 20 Dec 2024 10:40:52 Z</pubDate><a10:content type="text">&lt;div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="background-color:initial;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"&gt;As 2025 approaches, in-house legal departments are bracing for a wave of challenges that will test their adaptability and resilience. From technological advancements to evolving client expectations, the landscape is rapidly changing. This blog explores the key challenges that in-house legal teams will face, offering insights and strategies to help them navigate this dynamic environment. With the integration of legal AI and other innovations, these challenges can be transformed into opportunities for growth and efficiency.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="background-color:initial;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;h4&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1. Embracing legal AI: balancing innovation and risk&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h4&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;While legal AI offers significant benefits, it also presents challenges in terms of implementation and risk management. In-house legal teams must navigate the complexities of integrating AI into their workflows without compromising on quality or security. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In 2025, the emphasis will switch from incorporating AI into legal processes to meet the ever-shifting and ever-accelerating demands of internal stakeholders. A staggering 81% of in-house lawyers cited delivering work faster as a key benefit of AI, and 61% said providing an improved service to internal stakeholders, the latest UUÂãÁÄÖ±²¥&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href="/research-and-reports/in-house/generative-ai-survey-h2-2024-in-house.html" target="_blank" data-sf-ec-immutable=""&gt;in-house AI survey&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;found.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Bhavisa Patel from Eversheds Sutherland notes, "Activities such as legal research, document review, and contract analysis will become simpler and quicker, allowing lawyers to concentrate on complex and strategic work."&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;However, ensuring that AI tools are reliable and secure remains a top priority. Despite increasing adoption rates, four-fifths (80%) of UK in-house legal professionals are concerned about inaccurate or fabricated information from public-access generative AI platforms. The challenge lies in leveraging AI for lawyers while maintaining rigorous due diligence and safeguarding intellectual property law.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="/legal/precedents/training-materials-artificial-intelligence-ai-in-the-workplace" data-sf-ec-immutable=""&gt;Train your staff to use AI safely in the workplace. Download our training presentation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;h4&gt;&lt;/h4&gt;&lt;h4&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2. Demanding agility from external counsel&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h4&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;In 2025, in-house counsel will increasingly demand agility from their external legal partners, pushing for greater flexibility in fees, work approaches, and collaborative innovation. This shift is driven by the need for more dynamic and responsive legal services that align with the fast-paced business environment. A significant change will be the integration of AI into legal processes, with 71% of in-house teams &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</a10:content><media:content url="/blog/images/default-source/loan-ranger/pexels-cottonbro-5990030.tmb-rssthumbna.jpg?sfvrsn=b2752106_1" width="300" height="300" xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss"></media:content></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">urn:uuid:ebd4e25a-4e13-4177-ac0b-d6c41b3cbdf0</guid><link>/blog/future-of-law/client-experience-the-new-battleground-for-law-firms</link><category>Future of Law</category><title>Client experience: the new battleground for law firms</title><description>Discover how law firms are prioritising client experience.</description><pubDate>Tue, 17 Dec 2024 11:28:51 Z</pubDate><a10:content type="text">&lt;div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="background-color:initial;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"&gt;In the fiercely competitive legal industry, client experience is no longer just a buzzword&amp;mdash;it's a critical differentiator. As the traditional reliance on billable hours wanes, law firms are shifting their focus to client feedback and profitability. This transformation is not optional; it's essential for survival in a market where client expectations are skyrocketing. This blog delves into the latest findings, underscoring the urgent need for law firms to adapt.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="background-color:initial;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;h4&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Performance metrics: a paradigm shift&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h4&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"&gt;For decades, annual billable hours have been the cornerstone of measuring success in law firms. However, a recent survey by UUÂãÁÄÖ±²¥ reveals a significant shift in priorities. Only 34% of law firm leaders now consider billable hours as the most important metric for individual performance. Instead, 64% of leaders emphasise the profitability of work, while 54% value client feedback. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"&gt;Alex Hamilton, CEO of Radiant Law, aptly summarises this change: &amp;ldquo;You&amp;rsquo;ve got to kick the habit of the timesheet as well as the billable hour, because as long as you keep telling people that more hours is a good thing, you&amp;rsquo;re going to get more hours.&amp;rdquo;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="/insights/client-experience-is-now-the-focus-for-law-firm-leaders/index.html" data-sf-ec-immutable=""&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"&gt;This shift reflects a broader understanding that client satisfaction and efficient service delivery are more valuable than merely clocking hours. This evolution mirrors the changes in contract law, where the focus is increasingly on outcomes rather than processes.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;h4&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;hAdapting to client demands&lt;/h&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h4&gt;</a10:content><media:content url="/blog/images/default-source/loan-ranger/pexels-tima-miroshnichenko-5685874.tmb-rssthumbna.jpg?sfvrsn=5afc9307_1" width="300" height="300" xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss"></media:content></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">urn:uuid:dbd8f58b-072f-4424-99a4-2f00b2a0ed66</guid><link>/blog/future-of-law/understanding-the-2024-agm-season-key-insights-for-legal-leaders</link><category>Future of Law</category><title>Understanding the 2024 AGM season: key insights for legal leaders</title><description>Key insights from the 2024 AGM season: trends in shareholder dissent, resolutions, and AGM formats. Guidance for legal leaders preparing for 2025.</description><pubDate>Tue, 17 Dec 2024 09:55:56 Z</pubDate><a10:content type="text">&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"&gt;The 2024 AGM season for FTSE 350 companies has concluded, offering valuable insights into shareholder engagement and corporate governance trends. &lt;a href="/insights/market-standards-trend-report-agm-2024/index.html" target="_blank" data-sf-ec-immutable=""&gt;This report, produced by Lexis+&amp;reg; UK Practical Guidance&lt;/a&gt;, highlights the significant patterns observed during this period and provides guidance for law firm leaders and in-house legal department leaders as they prepare for the 2025 season.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;h4&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A year of declining dissent&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h4&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;The 2024 AGM season marked a notable decline in shareholder dissent, reaching its lowest level in seven years. This trend, ongoing since 2021, suggests a shift in shareholder satisfaction and engagement. With 82.3% of AGMs held in physical or physical plus webcast formats, there is a clear preference for in-person meetings post-pandemic. Hybrid meetings saw a decline, while virtual meetings remained constant, with a new format of virtual meetings with restricted physical attendance emerging.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="/insights/market-standards-trend-report-agm-2024/index.html" target="_blank" data-sf-ec-immutable=""&gt;&lt;em&gt;I want to read the full report&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;h4&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Shifts in shareholder dissent&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h4&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;During the 2024 AGM season, the re-election of directors emerged as the top resolution attracting significant dissent, with 20 resolutions receiving notable no votes. T&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</a10:content><media:content url="/blog/images/default-source/loan-ranger/pexels-ivan-samkov-8117410.tmb-rssthumbna.jpg?sfvrsn=3ffda3e8_1" width="300" height="300" xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss"></media:content></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">urn:uuid:f90ce0f6-3ed8-4b95-b39c-b9f40df93f95</guid><link>/blog/future-of-law/top-trends-uk-law-firms-can-expect-in-2025</link><category>Future of Law</category><title>Top trends UK law firms can expect in 2025</title><description>Stay ahead of the curve. Read our 2025 predictions for medium and large law firms, including technological advancements, enhanced client experience, and strategies for talent retention.</description><pubDate>Mon, 16 Dec 2024 13:39:04 Z</pubDate><a10:content type="text">&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;The new year will usher in a host of changes, challenges and opportunities for&amp;nbsp;&lt;span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"&gt;medium and large law firms. These developments, driven by technological advancements and shifting client expectations, present exciting opportunities for growth and innovation. Here are the top trends that law firms should anticipate in the coming year, with a focus on actionable insights.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;h4&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1. Embracing generative AI for enhanced efficiency&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h4&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;The adoption of generative AI is set to accelerate, with a majority of lawyers already using or planning to use AI tools for work purposes. According to a &lt;a href="/research-and-reports/generative-ai-survey-h2-2024.html" target="_blank" data-sf-ec-immutable=""&gt;UUÂãÁÄÖ±²¥ survey&lt;/a&gt;, "86% of lawyers at medium and large firms now use or plan to use AI for work." &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This technology will enable firms to deliver work faster, improve client service, and gain a competitive advantage. By automating routine tasks such as legal research and document drafting, lawyers can focus on more complex and strategic work, ultimately enhancing productivity and service quality.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="/lexis-plus/lexis-plus-ai.html"&gt;I want to know how Lexis+ AI can help me deliver work faster&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Jonathan Kewley, Partner and Co-Chair of the Global Tech Group at Clifford Chance, emphasises, "It's important that lawyers are familiar with AI technology in the same way they are with the internet now."&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;h4&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2. Shif&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;strong&gt;t towards value-based billing models&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h4&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;As AI-driven efficiency becomes more prevalent, law firms will likely move away from traditional billable hour models towards value-based billing. The UUÂãÁÄÖ±²¥ survey found that "39% of lawyers at medium and large firms now expect to adjust their billing practices due to AI."&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This shift will be driven by the need to align pricing structures with the value delivered to clients. By focusing on outcomes rather than hours worked, firms can foster stronger client relationships and demonstrate the tangible benefits of their se&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</a10:content><media:content url="/blog/images/default-source/loan-ranger/pexels-cottonbro-5990042.tmb-rssthumbna.jpg?sfvrsn=ca8936b9_1" width="300" height="300" xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss"></media:content></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">urn:uuid:540fa5e0-8eb3-4d30-a328-414a4a7c3390</guid><link>/blog/in-house/leading-change</link><category>In-house</category><title>Senior Counsel Event: Leading Change</title><description>Leading ChangeIf there’s one thing the 2020s has taught us, it’s that the volume and pace of change will continue to increase. From big-picture geo-political shocks through to technological disruption, organisations are being forced to adapt in many ways at once. This has profound implications for the people in the organisations, and especially for leaders.Legal departments and their leaders are not immune from these challenges, and building a resilient and adaptive legal function can support an organisation’s competitive advantage and enhance its agility. This session will focus on the subject of change, from the causes of resistance through to evidence-based models that help to understand the process of change at a deep level.The session</description><pubDate>Tue, 10 Dec 2024 14:44:26 Z</pubDate><a10:content type="text">&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Leading Change&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If there&amp;rsquo;s one thing the 2020s has taught us, it&amp;rsquo;s that the volume and pace of change will continue to increase. From big-picture geo-political shocks through to technological disruption, organisations are being forced to adapt in many ways at once. This has profound implications for the people in the organisations, and especially for leaders.&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Legal departments and their leaders are not immune from these challenges, and building a resilient and adaptive legal function can support an organisation&amp;rsquo;s competitive advantage and enhance its agility. This session will focus on the subject of change, from the causes of resistance through to evidence-based models that help to understand the process of change at a deep level.&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The session &lt;/p&gt;</a10:content><media:content url="/blog/images/default-source/loan-ranger/sa-1224-1808_blog-post-1720-x-530-.tmb-rssthumbna.jpg?sfvrsn=5a25cee9_1" width="300" height="300" xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss"></media:content></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">urn:uuid:561a67af-6fed-41a9-9a56-d82406e6af30</guid><link>/blog/future-of-law/employment-rights-bill-what-s-in-store-for-employers</link><category>Future of Law</category><title>Employment Rights Bill: What’s in store for employers?</title><description>We recently hosted an insightful webinar looking at some of the most significant changes for employers and in-house lawyers contained in the Employment Rights Bill (ERB).</description><pubDate>Mon, 09 Dec 2024 17:00:04 Z</pubDate><a10:content type="text">&lt;p&gt;We recently hosted an insightful webinar looking at some of the most significant changes for employers and in-house lawyers contained in the Employment Rights Bill (ERB).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;You can&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuUf4NandUY" target="_blank" data-sf-ec-immutable=""&gt;watch the full webinar here&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;or read on for the key learnings from the session.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h4 id="blogTitle"&gt;Employment Rights Bill: What&amp;rsquo;s in store for employers?&lt;/h4&gt;&lt;p&gt;Cathy Hoar, a solicitor and professional support lawyer in Lexis+ UK Employment, was joined by Stephen Ratcliffe, a partner in the Employment and Compensation team at Baker &amp;amp; McKenzie. Cathy and Stephen discussed what is currently known about the proposed changes, looking at the ERB itself and sources such as the government&amp;rsquo;s &lt;a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/next-steps-to-make-work-pay" data-sf-ec-immutable=""&gt;Next Steps to Make Work Pay&lt;/a&gt; policy paper. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Cathy and Stephen discussed proposed changes to the followi&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</a10:content><media:content url="/blog/images/default-source/in-house/joshua-ness--bez_ofwu3y-unsplash-1.tmb-rssthumbna.jpg?sfvrsn=5d967fd0_1" width="300" height="300" xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss"></media:content></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">urn:uuid:5f0dfeaf-2d5c-4e58-bf24-58d8d875fe38</guid><link>/blog/future-of-law/protecting-uk-industries-from-increased-imports-mastering-safeguard-measures</link><category>Future of Law</category><title>Protecting UK industries from increased imports: Mastering safeguard measures</title><description>We recently hosted a webinar which explored how the UK industry may protect itself from a surge in imports entering the UK. The webinar was hosted by Rian Geldenhuys who looks after the UUÂãÁÄÖ±²¥ International Trade content. Two expert panelists, Arnoud Willems, partner in the International Commercial &amp; Trade Practice Group at Baker McKenzie and Raheel Shahid, a solicitor with the UK’s Trade Remedies Authority provided key insights in obtaining protection from a surge in imports. Arnoud provided his insights gained from assisting industry to apply for protection from a surge in imports whilst Raheel Shahid shared insights into what the UK’s Trade Remedies Authority considers important when receiving applications for protection from a surge in imports.</description><pubDate>Mon, 09 Dec 2024 16:18:55 Z</pubDate><a10:content type="text">&lt;p&gt;We recently hosted a webinar which explored how the UK industry may protect itself from a surge in imports entering the UK. The webinar was hosted by Rian Geldenhuys who looks after the UUÂãÁÄÖ±²¥ International Trade content. Two expert panelists, Arnoud Willems, partner in the International Commercial &amp;amp; Trade Practice Group at Baker McKenzie and Raheel Shahid, a solicitor with the UK&amp;rsquo;s Trade Remedies Authority provided key insights in obtaining protection from a surge in imports. Arnoud provided his insights gained from assisting industry to apply for protection from a surge in imports whilst Raheel Shahid shared insights into what the UK&amp;rsquo;s Trade Remedies Authority considers important when receiving applications for protection from a surge in imports.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;You can&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ox-uakhE7Cs&amp;amp;t=12s" target="_blank" data-sf-ec-immutable=""&gt;watch the full webinar here&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;or read on for the key learnings from the session.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h4&gt;Safeguards are not aimed at unfair imports&lt;/h4&gt;&lt;p&gt;Unlike in dumping or subsidies, which are forms of unfair trade, safeguards do not seek to address any unfairly trade imported products. Instead, safeguards are a temporary safety value that allows the UK to stem the surge in imports. The UK&amp;rsquo;s Trade Remedies Authority does not investigate if the imports are unfairly trade, but merely seeks to establish if:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;there has been a sudden and significant increase in imports;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;which increase is due to unforeseen circumstances;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;and that the increase is signifi&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;</a10:content><media:content url="/blog/images/default-source/loan-ranger/pexels-rafael-de-campos-2705062-4256976.tmb-rssthumbna.jpg?sfvrsn=9a832beb_1" width="300" height="300" xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss"></media:content></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">urn:uuid:8adac735-e2c5-4902-9beb-8c87b22a3a2d</guid><link>/blog/future-of-law/self-promotion-strategies-for-barristers-stand-out-in-a-competitive-field</link><category>Future of Law</category><title>Self-promotion strategies for barristers: Stand out in a competitive field</title><description>The blog post "Self-promotion strategies for barristers: Stand out in a competitive field" stresses the necessity of self-promotion for barristers to secure work and build a reputation. It suggests strategies such as leveraging one's specialism to create a strong professional identity, optimising digital tools like websites and LinkedIn profiles, and engaging in both in-person and virtual networking. The post also underscores the power of word-of-mouth referrals and offers practical tips for promoting oneself during busy times, like using short breaks effectively and setting weekly goals. The key message is that consistent, strategic self-promotion can enhance a barrister's professional standing and open new opportunities.</description><pubDate>Mon, 09 Dec 2024 15:02:23 Z</pubDate><a10:content type="text">&lt;div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Imagine this: you&amp;rsquo;ve just delivered a stellar argument in court, one that leaves even the judge impressed. Weeks later, a solicitor calls, referencing that same case and asking to work with you. What if that opportunity hadn&amp;rsquo;t come because no one knew your name?&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;In the legal world, talent alone isn&amp;rsquo;t enough. Barristers, like any professionals, must actively promote themselves to secure new work, establish a reputation, and stand out in a fiercely competitive field. Yet with demanding court schedules, unpredictable workloads, and endless preparation, promotion often feels like an afterthought.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;But here&amp;rsquo;s the truth: self-promotion doesn&amp;rsquo;t have to be overwhelming.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;Let&amp;rsquo;s explore how you can do it effectively&amp;mdash;even when your diary is packed.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="background-color:transparent;color:inherit;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"&gt;1. Leverage your specialism: branding yourself for success&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;For barristers, reputation is everything. Solicitors and clients are drawn to barristers known for their expertise, reliability, and proven track record. Promotion plays a key role in building and sustaining this reputation.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Establishing a professional identity, such as &amp;ldquo;the immigration barrister&amp;rdquo; or &amp;ldquo;the commercial law specialist ties directly into creating a strong reputation. A clear, niche focus not only enhances your credibility but also makes you memorable and easier to recommend within legal networks.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;Highlighting your expertise through opportunities to demonstrate your expertise, such as published articles, reinforces your brand and attracts clients looking for your specific skills. By aligning your specialism with strategic promotion, you position yourself as the go-to expert in your field.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="background-color:initial;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"&gt;2. Maximising the impact of your website and LinkedIn profile&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="background-color:initial;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="background-color:initial;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"&gt;In today&amp;rsquo;s digital-first world, having an up-to-date website and professional LinkedIn profile is essential for barristers.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="background-color:initial;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"&gt;Your website can act as a virtual portfolio, demonstrating your expertise with case studies, client testimonials, or articles on recent legal developments. Ensure your site clearly outlines your contact details, availability, and practice areas.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Meanwhile, LinkedIn is a powerful tool for professional networking. Regularly updating your profile and connecting with col&lt;/div&gt;</a10:content><media:content url="/blog/images/default-source/loan-ranger/3-lawyers-talking-while-drinking-coffee-outside.tmb-rssthumbna.png?sfvrsn=8b72c6e_1" width="300" height="300" xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss"></media:content></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">urn:uuid:418eb3ff-ee63-4d41-a03e-7a36cd4906a7</guid><link>/blog/in-house/2024-commercial-law-update</link><category>In-house</category><title>2024 Commercial Law Update</title><description>In the November Senior Counsel event, we welcomed Radius Law’s Iain Larkins and Sandra Martins who gave a ‘whistle-stop’ tour of the big commercial law developments and their impact on business.</description><pubDate>Mon, 09 Dec 2024 14:54:43 Z</pubDate><a10:content type="text">&lt;div&gt;&lt;p paraid="1226997861" paraeid="{ce4c9259-c053-45ce-9f2f-dcb200faa9f1}{54}"&gt;With over 4000 attendees for the in-house senior counsel sessions over 2024, the last session of this year was an update on notable commercial law updates and their impact on business with Radius Law&amp;rsquo;s Iain Larkins and Sandra Martins. They focused on proposed employment law changes, data protection prosecutions, changes to consumer law and director duties.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p paraid="39528265" paraeid="{ce4c9259-c053-45ce-9f2f-dcb200faa9f1}{62}"&gt;The case of the mis-placed adjective, failure to prevent fraud and other updates&amp;hellip;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p paraid="1537330614" paraeid="{ce4c9259-c053-45ce-9f2f-dcb200faa9f1}{76}"&gt;The main commercial law updates included the case of the mis-placed adjective in Cantor Fitzgerald &amp;amp; Co v YES Bank Limited &lt;a href="https://plus.lexis.com/uk/document/index/?crid=76983d15-c703-4ce4-9530-fb536e05054e&amp;amp;pdpermalink=1d4f581a-196c-4330-97f6-acfadd1dac10&amp;amp;pdmfid=1001073&amp;amp;pdisurlapi=true&amp;amp;utm_source=senior_counsel_write_up&amp;amp;utm_medium=collateral&amp;amp;utm_campaign=603428__in_house_legal__603428_november_2024_-_senior_counsel_event" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" data-sf-ec-immutable=""&gt;[2024] EWCA Civ 695&lt;/a&gt; which cost Cantor their $7.5 million financing fee as well as the three conjoined motor finance commission claims: (1) Johnson v FirstRand Bank Limited (London Branch) T/A Motonovo Finance (2) Wrench v FirstRand Bank Limited (3) Hopcraft v Close Brothers Ltd &lt;a href="https://plus.lexis.com/api/permalink/98590e09-4b7e-4cfd-887c-1c73d1d4f78d/?context=1001073&amp;amp;utm_source=senior_counsel_write_up&amp;amp;utm_medium=collateral&amp;amp;utm_campaign=603428__in_house_legal__603428_november_2024_-_senior_counsel_event" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" data-sf-ec-immutable=""&gt;[2024] EWCA Civ 1282&lt;/a&gt; saw the court ruling in favour of the claimants who had approached car dealers to act as their credit brokers to arrange financing to allow them to purchase second-hand cars. The dealers all received commission from the banks and the court found that dealers owed the duty to provide information, advice or recommendation on an impartial or disinterested basis as identified in Wood v Commercial First Business Ltd &lt;a href="https://plus.lexis.com/api/permalink/f811af5d-0aa2-4fa6-883f-7107236f7095/?context=1001073&amp;amp;utm_source=senior_counsel_write_up&amp;amp;utm_medium=collateral&amp;amp;utm_campaign=603428__in_house_legal__603428_november_2024_-_senior_counsel_event" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" data-sf-ec-immutable=""&gt;[2021] EWCA Civ 471&lt;/a&gt;, though this is contrary to the FCA&amp;rsquo;s guidance. Though Iain suspects an appeal to the Supreme Court is on the way, the case has also led to the FCA &lt;a href="https://www.fca.org.uk/news/statements/update-motor-finance-work" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" data-sf-ec-immutable=""&gt;consulting&lt;/a&gt; on extension of the current pause to the time firms have to respond to consumers about motor finance complaints involving a DCA.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p paraid="1732219415" paraeid="{ce4c9259-c053-45ce-9f2f-dcb200faa9f1}{160}"&gt;Another case Iain highlighted was Northamber PLC v Genee World Ltd &lt;a href="https://plus.lexis.com/api/permalink/b0437de6-984c-463f-8bb1-bd474fabf1eb/?context=1001073&amp;amp;utm_source=senior_counsel_write_up&amp;amp;utm_medium=collateral&amp;amp;utm_campaign=603428__in_house_legal__603428_november_2024_-_senior_counsel_event" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" data-sf-ec-immutable=""&gt;[2024] EWCA Civ 428&lt;/a&gt; in which the court ruled that simply placing orders with the knowledge that an exclusivity agreement would &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</a10:content><media:content url="/blog/images/default-source/loan-ranger/sa-1124-1724_blog-post-1720x530px.tmb-rssthumbna.jpg?sfvrsn=a9bdd4b3_1" width="300" height="300" xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss"></media:content></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">urn:uuid:46dda66f-9a9c-4aac-aa85-5c5b7569d915</guid><link>/blog/in-house/the-future-of-in-house-legal-work-tackling-ai-concerns-with-lexis-ai</link><category>In-house</category><title>The future of in-house legal work: tackling AI concerns with Lexis+ AI</title><description>Generative AI tools are transforming the legal profession by streamlining 
research, analysis, and content drafting. This blog explores how Lexis+ AI is transforming the legal industry by tackling key challenges faced by in-house lawyers.</description><pubDate>Thu, 21 Nov 2024 10:01:21 Z</pubDate><a10:content type="text">&lt;p&gt;Imagine a bustling legal department in the heart of London on a Monday morning. Huddled over coffee, the team are immersed in stacks of briefs and contracts. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The pressure is mounting to meet deadlines, deliver high-quality work and above all, ensure every detail is correct. Amid this scene, a new assistant has quietly joined the team &amp;ndash; not a junior lawyer, but an AI powered tool designed to streamline research, drafting and analysis.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Of course, this is fictional for the purpose of this article but it&amp;rsquo;s the reality for many in-house legal professionals. Naturally, many across the legal industry have concerns about AI adoption. After all, legal work demands precision, confidentiality, and a meticulous approach to work. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Let&amp;rsquo;s explore the top concerns of In-house lawyers according to UUÂãÁÄÖ±²¥&amp;rsquo;s recent &amp;lsquo;&lt;a href="/research-and-reports/in-house/generative-ai-survey-h2-2024-in-house.html" data-sf-ec-immutable=""&gt;Need for speedier legal work drives widespread AI adoption across in-house&lt;/a&gt;&amp;rsquo;, report and how Lexis+ AI can combat these challenges.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The concern: fabricated information&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;Imagine turning to a colleague for some legislation, only to find they&amp;rsquo;ve given you something made up&amp;mdash;pure fiction. That&amp;rsquo;s a nightmare for any lawyer, and 80% of in-house legal professionals shared similar concerns about Generative AI. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The worry is simple: can you truly rely on AI to deliver verifiable, accurate answers, or are you at risk of being led down a blind alley by fabricated information?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The solution: trustworthy foundations with Lexis+ AI&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;Lexis+ AI is designed with this very concern in mind. Unlike some AI models that scrape the web for information, Lexis+ AI is grounded in the highly reputable UUÂãÁÄÖ±²¥ legal database. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Every answer, every citation, is tied directly to a verifiable source. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;When Lexis+ AI provides a case summary or legal precedent, users can click through to check its source&amp;mdash;a trusted safeguard against misinformation. It&amp;rsquo;s like working with an assistant who has instant access to the entire UUÂãÁÄÖ±²¥ library, offering only information that&amp;rsquo;s trusted and rigorously vetted.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The concern: confidentiality and bias&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;Deep into contract negotiation preparation, you think of &lt;/p&gt;</a10:content><media:content url="/blog/images/default-source/loan-ranger/ps-ai-512f5faff-bcca-426a-a7a2-7d42ce2fa75a.tmb-rssthumbna.jpg?sfvrsn=4c930867_1" width="300" height="300" xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss"></media:content></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">urn:uuid:facbe687-3bfd-4968-bebe-9e33d191f09e</guid><link>/blog/in-house/commercial-law-update-2024</link><category>In-house</category><title>Commercial Law Update</title><description>Commercial Law UpdateAt this month’s session we are delighted to welcome Radius Law’s Iain Larkins and Sandra Martins who give a ‘whistle stop’ tour of the big commercial law developments and their impact on business.The commercial law update will cover key updates from the past 6 months including:proposed employment law changes;data protection prosecutionschanges to consumer laws;director dutiesAnd much more… Join us for this interactive session later this month.</description><pubDate>Fri, 15 Nov 2024 10:16:05 Z</pubDate><a10:content type="text">&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Commercial Law Update&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;At this month&amp;rsquo;s session we are delighted to welcome Radius Law&amp;rsquo;s Iain Larkins and Sandra Martins who give a &amp;lsquo;whistle stop&amp;rsquo; tour of the big commercial law developments and their impact on business.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;The commercial law update will cover key updates from the past 6 months including:&lt;/div&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;proposed employment law changes;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;data protection prosecutions&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;changes to consumer laws;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;director duties&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;And much more&amp;hellip;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;Join us for this interactive session later this month.&lt;span style="background-color:transparent;color:inherit;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;tex style=""&gt;&lt;/span style="background-color:transparent;color:inherit;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;tex&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</a10:content><media:content url="/blog/images/default-source/loan-ranger/sa-1124-1724_blog-post-1720x530px.tmb-rssthumbna.jpg?sfvrsn=a9bdd4b3_1" width="300" height="300" xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss"></media:content></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">urn:uuid:579800a5-e0bc-44b2-a364-e2ff5f7eaf25</guid><link>/blog/research-legal-analysis/ai-in-arbitration-catalyst-for-efficiency-or-hidden-peril-to-our-core-values</link><category>Research &amp; legal analysis</category><title>AI in Arbitration: Catalyst for Efficiency or Hidden Peril to Our Core Values?</title><description>In an era poised for transformation, AI stands on the cusp of revolutionising arbitration – promising unparalleled efficiency but also underpinned by significant risks at times. How can we best harness the potential of this emerging superpower whilst being cognisant of all the challenges it may pose? What are our genuine expectations from this digital ally? These pivotal questions framed the dynamic panel session AI in arbitration held at the ICC United Kingdom Arbitration &amp; ADR conference on 24 October 2024.The panel consisted of Guy Pendell, Partner, CMS and Chair, ICC United Kingdom Arbitration &amp; ADR Committee (acting as the moderator); Joseph Otoo, Senior Legal Counsel, Associate Director, Arup; Monica Crespo, Head of Product, Jus Mundi; Minesh Tanna, Global AI Lead, Partner, Simmons &amp; Simmons; and Stephen Dowling, Senior Counsel and Founder, TrialView.The panel of experts unveiled AI tools that are reshaping hearing preparation and evidence management – think smart tech that predicts outcomes and flags discrepancies before they escalate. Welcome to the present (and future) of arbitration!The Three Pillars of AIThe consensus was unmistakable: AI delivers efficiency and adaptability, yet begs us to consider the implications on accuracy, transparency and reliability. As we lean into this brave new world, how do we address a chilling concern: AI’s voracious data appetite threatens confidentiality. Are we unwittingly compromising sensitive information?Accountability and Consent The dialogue heated as the panel tackled the appealability of AI-generated outputs. With ‘hallucinate</description><pubDate>Mon, 11 Nov 2024 16:50:47 Z</pubDate><a10:content type="text">&lt;p&gt;In an era poised for transformation, AI stands on the cusp of revolutionising arbitration &amp;ndash; promising unparalleled efficiency but also underpinned by significant risks at times. How can we best harness the potential of this emerging superpower whilst being cognisant of all the challenges it may pose? What are our genuine expectations from this digital ally? &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;These pivotal questions framed the dynamic panel session &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;AI in arbitration&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; held at the ICC United Kingdom Arbitration &amp;amp; ADR conference on 24 October 2024.&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The panel consisted of &lt;em&gt;Guy Pendell&lt;/em&gt;, Partner,&amp;nbsp;CMS&amp;nbsp;and Chair,&amp;nbsp;ICC United Kingdom Arbitration &amp;amp; ADR Committee (acting as the moderator); &lt;em&gt;Joseph Otoo&lt;/em&gt;, Senior Legal Counsel, Associate Director,&amp;nbsp;Arup; &lt;em&gt;Monica Crespo&lt;/em&gt;, Head of Product,&amp;nbsp;Jus Mundi; &lt;em&gt;Minesh Tanna&lt;/em&gt;, Global AI Lead, Partner,&amp;nbsp;Simmons &amp;amp; Simmons; and &lt;em&gt;Stephen Dowling&lt;/em&gt;, Senior Counsel and Founder,&amp;nbsp;TrialView.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The panel of experts unveiled AI tools that are reshaping hearing preparation and evidence management &amp;ndash; think smart tech that predicts outcomes and flags discrepancies before they escalate. Welcome to the present (and future) of arbitration!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Three Pillars of AI&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The consensus was unmistakable: AI delivers efficiency and adaptability, yet begs us to consider the implications on accuracy, transparency and reliability. As we lean into this brave new world, how do we address a chilling concern: AI&amp;rsquo;s voracious data appetite threatens confidentiality. Are we unwittingly compromising sensitive information?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Accountability and Consent &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The dialogue heated as the panel tackled the appealability of AI-generated outputs. With &amp;lsquo;hallucinate&lt;/p&gt;</a10:content><media:content url="/blog/images/default-source/loan-ranger/generative_ai_opportunity_threat_or_both.tmb-rssthumbna.png?sfvrsn=f482478b_1" width="300" height="300" xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss"></media:content></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">urn:uuid:30131dbb-bfd0-45b6-a313-605891a4aa6e</guid><link>/blog/in-house/becoming-a-non-executive-director-key-skills-and-practical-tips</link><category>In-house</category><title>Becoming a Non-Executive Director: Key Skills and Practical Tips</title><description>UUÂãÁÄÖ±²¥â€™s in-house Senior Counsel session in October featured KPMG qualified Fellow Chartered Accountant Jerry Harris, CEO of Dynamic Boards Sarah Pierman, and property and finance markets expert Martin Gunson, all sharing their insights on key skills and practical tips on becoming and excelling as a Non-Executive Director.</description><pubDate>Fri, 08 Nov 2024 16:24:00 Z</pubDate><a10:content type="text"></a10:content><media:content url="/blog/images/default-source/loan-ranger/gettyimages1-694855060.tmb-rssthumbna.jpg?sfvrsn=600a76bf_1" width="300" height="300" xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss"></media:content></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">urn:uuid:49c59085-d828-4b25-8699-52c0284fad1d</guid><link>/blog/in-house/becoming-a-non-executive-director-key-skills-practical-tips</link><category>In-house</category><title>Becoming a Non-Executive Director: Key Skills and Practical Tips</title><description>Becoming a Non-Executive Director: Key Skills and Practical TipsThis October, we invite you to join our Senior Counsel session featuring Jerry Harris, a KPMG qualified Fellow Chartered Accountant. He will share his insights on the essential skills and practical tips needed to excel as a Non-Executive Director.After ten years with KPMG, Jerry spent the remainder of his full-time career as a senior board member at major recruitment businesses, including PSD and Quarry Dougal, and served as Managing Director of Reed Employment for six years. Since 2007, he has held multiple NED and Board Adviser positions at various SMEs, including Flex Legal. Additionally, he has been a board member and adviser at four major UK legal recruiters. The panel speakers will include Sarah Pierman who is CEO of Dynamic Boards as well as Martin Gunson who has more than 30 years’ experience of property and re</description><pubDate>Wed, 16 Oct 2024 08:06:25 Z</pubDate><a10:content type="text">&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Becoming a Non-Executive Director: Key Skills and Practical Tips&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This October, we invite you to join our Senior Counsel session featuring Jerry Harris, a KPMG qualified Fellow Chartered Accountant. He will share his insights on the essential skills and practical tips needed to excel as a Non-Executive Director.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;After ten years with KPMG, Jerry spent the remainder of his full-time career as a senior board member at major recruitment businesses, including PSD and Quarry Dougal, and served as Managing Director of Reed Employment for six years. Since 2007, he has held multiple NED and Board Adviser positions at various SMEs, including Flex Legal. Additionally, he has been a board member and adviser at four major UK legal recruiters. The panel speakers will include Sarah Pierman who is CEO of Dynamic Boards as well as Martin Gunson who has more than 30 years&amp;rsquo; experience of property and re&lt;/p&gt;</a10:content><media:content url="/blog/images/default-source/loan-ranger/sa-1024-1669-1720x5302abe3243-1bf0-4a6f-a5b1-09f22f3e94e8.tmb-rssthumbna.png?sfvrsn=94540be7_1" width="300" height="300" xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss"></media:content></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">urn:uuid:fb8bb9ec-d483-4da1-afdc-54c74e180e4d</guid><link>/blog/in-house/maintaining-strong-corporate-governance-to-avoid-corporate-scandals</link><category>In-house</category><title>Maintaining strong corporate governance to avoid corporate scandals</title><description>UUÂãÁÄÖ±²¥â€™s September session for in-house senior counsel focussed on key learnings from the Post Office scandal, and how both junior and senior counsel can challenge and engage the right culture to avoid a repeat of corporate scandals</description><pubDate>Tue, 08 Oct 2024 14:57:48 Z</pubDate><a10:content type="text"></a10:content><media:content url="/blog/images/default-source/loan-ranger/gettyimages-637031152.tmb-rssthumbna.jpg?sfvrsn=3c4f3759_1" width="300" height="300" xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss"></media:content></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">urn:uuid:2956ca43-0e28-4865-be45-fdac98ff6aeb</guid><link>/blog/future-of-law/reshaping-the-legal-landscape</link><category>Future of Law</category><title>How AI is empowering lawyers to deliver faster legal solutions</title><description>Discover how law firms are adapting to new technologies, client expectations, and regulatory changes to thrive in a dynamic legal environment.</description><pubDate>Sun, 29 Sep 2024 23:00:00 Z</pubDate><a10:content type="text">&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"&gt;AI adoption in the legal sector is accelerating at breakneck speed. A &lt;a href="/research-and-reports/generative-ai-survey-h2-2024.html" target="_blank" data-sf-ec-immutable=""&gt;recent report by UUÂãÁÄÖ±²¥&lt;/a&gt; found a staggering 82% of UK lawyers have either embraced generative AI or have plans to do so in the near future. This figure represents a nearly four-fold increase from the summer of 2023, when only a fraction of legal professionals had adopted this transformative technology.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="/research-and-reports/generative-ai-survey-h2-2024.html" target="_blank" data-sf-ec-immutable=""&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The demand for speed: how AI enhances legal services&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;h4&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h4&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;The driving force behind this rapid AI adoption is the need for faster delivery of legal services. In an increasingly competitive legal landscape, where clients demand efficiency and expediency, AI has emerged as a powerful tool to streamline processes and expedite turnaround times. The report reveals that a remarkable 71% of &lt;a href="[f669d9a7-009d-4d83-ddaa-000000000002]7B419546-9BE7-4547-B040-49D402C6565E/reimagining-what-makes-a-successful-lawyer"&gt;lawyers&lt;/a&gt; cited faster work delivery as a key benefit of AI, with 52% identifying it as the primary advantage.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="/research-and-reports/generative-ai-survey-h2-2024.html" target="_blank" data-sf-ec-immutable=""&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;"The kind of applications we're seeing &amp;ndash; the way it's been rolled out, the innovation, the investment &amp;ndash; it's off the scale," says Jonathan Kewley, Partner and Co-Chair of the Global Tech Group at Clifford Chance. "It's important that lawyers are familiar with AI technology in the same way they are with the internet now. Those that don't use it will face a bit of an existential risk."&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="/lexis-plus/lexis-plus-ai.html" target="_blank" data-sf-ec-immutable=""&gt;How Lexis+ AI speeds up legal research safely&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;Beyond speed, the report highlights other significant benefits of &lt;a href="[f669d9a7-009d-4d83-ddaa-000000000002]7B419546-9BE7-4547-B040-49D402C6565E/explore-the-growing-appetite-for-legal-ai"&gt;AI &lt;/a&gt;adoption, such as improved client service (54%) and gaining a competitive advantage (53%). As clients become more discerning and demanding, AI offers a means to enhance the quality and responsiveness of legal services, ultimately leading to greater client satisfaction.#&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The time-saving power of AI in law&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;The time-saving abilities of &lt;a href="[f669 href="/"&gt;&lt;/a href="[f669&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</a10:content><media:content url="/blog/images/default-source/loan-ranger/pexels-carlnewton-2280165c14d0f2e-b174-4abc-b8d6-b874aac724cd.tmb-rssthumbna.jpg?sfvrsn=4481ca9f_1" width="300" height="300" xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss"></media:content></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">urn:uuid:3543c097-09f3-4f1e-8155-a56a6a796fd4</guid><link>/blog/in-house/post-office-scandal-what-lessons-to-learn</link><category>In-house</category><title>Post Office Scandal - what lessons to learn</title><description>Post Office Scandal - what lessons to learnIn today's business world, maintaining strong corporate governance is more critical than ever. Most of us have been shocked by the corporate governance failings at the Post Office. Sadly, this is not an isolated incident; there are plenty of other cases. In just recent months there have been reports of Carillion (financial irregularities), Boo-Hoo (unethical trading), News Group (Phone Hacking) and Axiom Ince (financial irregularities) to name just a few.None of us want to be part of these stories, but as the Post Office enquiry has shown – many people, including lawyers, become involved and fail to do the ‘right thing’.This raises two questions:(1) How do we avoid being embroiled in the ‘wrong thing’? and(2) How do we help our organisation to always be the good      corporate citizen?At our September Senior Counsel forum, Iain Larkins of Radius Law will chat with Gail Harrison, MD and Owner of Sewells. Gail is a Leadership and Culture Specialists who helps develop inspiring successful leaders, cr</description><pubDate>Wed, 11 Sep 2024 15:56:08 Z</pubDate><a10:content type="text">&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Post Office Scandal - what lessons to learn&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align="center" style="text-align:left;"&gt;In today's business world, maintaining strong corporate governance is more critical than ever. Most of us have been shocked by the corporate governance failings at the Post Office. Sadly, this is not an isolated incident; there are plenty of other cases. In just recent months there have been reports of Carillion (financial irregularities), Boo-Hoo (unethical trading), News Group (Phone Hacking) and Axiom Ince (financial irregularities) to name just a few.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align="center" style="text-align:left;"&gt;None of us want to be part of these stories, but as the Post Office enquiry has shown &amp;ndash; many people, including lawyers, become involved and fail to do the &amp;lsquo;right thing&amp;rsquo;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This raises two questions:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul type="disc"&gt;&lt;li&gt;(1) How do we avoid being embroiled in the &amp;lsquo;wrong thing&amp;rsquo;? and&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;(2) How do we help our organisation to always be the good      corporate citizen?&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;At our September Senior Counsel forum, Iain Larkins of Radius Law will chat with Gail Harrison, MD and Owner of Sewells. Gail is a Leadership and Culture Specialists who helps develop inspiring successful leaders, cr&lt;/p&gt;</a10:content><media:content url="/blog/images/default-source/loan-ranger/blog6da89423-9bc9-43a1-a481-e191bab3391e.tmb-rssthumbna.jpg?sfvrsn=2604df57_1" width="300" height="300" xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss"></media:content></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">urn:uuid:a1f94c22-a4e6-48dd-8eb5-49fab2c85594</guid><link>/blog/future-of-law/how-small-law-firms-can-compete-for-talent</link><category>Future of Law</category><title>Top tips for small law firms to successfully attract and retain talent</title><description>Discover effective strategies for small law firms to attract and retain top legal talent in a competitive market.</description><pubDate>Wed, 06 Jul 2022 11:04:37 Z</pubDate><a10:content type="text">&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="background-color:initial;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;white-space:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;"&gt;According to the &lt;a href="/research-and-reports/bellwether-2022.html" data-sf-ec-immutable=""&gt;Bellwether 2022 report&lt;/a&gt; from UUÂãÁÄÖ±²¥, the majority of smaller legal practices are actively recruiting new legal staff. Two thirds of the 345 &lt;a href="[f669d9a7-009d-4d83-ddaa-000000000002]7B419546-9BE7-4547-B040-49D402C6565E/small-firms-gearing-up-for-legal-business-success"&gt;small law&lt;/a&gt; and solo legal professionals we surveyed said they have recently invested in, or shortly plan to invest in, more lawyers.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="background-color:initial;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;white-space:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;white-space:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;color:inherit;"&gt;But attracting and retaining new &lt;a href="[f669d9a7-009d-4d83-ddaa-000000000002]989FB383-18F1-4B05-860D-C7607CBE56BA/sustainability-attracting-the-best-in-house-legal-talent"&gt;legal talent&lt;/a&gt; can be challenging, particularly for smaller firms which may struggle to match the salaries offered by Big Law. So how can smaller practices compete with their larger rivals to obtain the cream of the crop?&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;white-space:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;color:inherit;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h4&gt;&lt;span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;white-space:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;color:inherit;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;The challenges small law firms face in competing for talent&lt;/h4&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="background-color:transparent;color:inherit;font-family:inherit;font-size:var(--font-size-h4);font-weight:bold;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;white-space:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="background-color:transparent;color:inherit;font-family:inherit;font-size:var(--font-size-h4);font-weight:bold;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;white-space:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="background-color:initial;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;white-space:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;"&gt;Only around half of the firms we asked said they were &amp;ldquo;somewhat confident&amp;rdquo; about competing for &lt;a href="/legal/news/law-firm-considerations-in-attracting-retaining-talent" data-sf-ec-immutable=""&gt;talent &lt;/a&gt;over the next 24 months, with almost one in five expressing doubts about finding the right lawyers.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="background-color:initial;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;white-space:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="background-color:initial;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;white-space:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;"&gt;The challenge seems to be particularly acute in relation to attracting recently qualified lawyers, with one respondent providing the following analysis:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="background-color:initial;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;white-space:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;white-space:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color style=""&gt;&lt;/span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;white-space:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</a10:content><media:content url="/blog/images/default-source/loan-ranger/christina-wocintechchat-com-vzfgh3rapzm-unsplash.tmb-rssthumbna.jpg?sfvrsn=2e6ebcbc_1" width="300" height="300" xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss"></media:content></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">urn:uuid:42b3e8fe-0ceb-401a-9dea-63e008fa086a</guid><link>/blog/future-of-law/why-traditional-law-firms-don-t-need-to-worry-too-much-about-the-big-four</link><category>Future of Law</category><title>Do traditional law firms have a competitive edge over the big four?</title><description>Discover how traditional law firms can maintain their competitive edge against the Big Four using the importance of trust, specialised services, and technology.</description><pubDate>Wed, 27 Oct 2021 14:49:22 Z</pubDate><a10:content type="text">&lt;p&gt;There has been a lot of debate recently about the &lt;a href="[f669d9a7-009d-4d83-ddaa-000000000002]7B419546-9BE7-4547-B040-49D402C6565E/how-big-law-can-take-on-the-big-four"&gt;Big Four &lt;/a&gt;accountancy firms (EY, KPMG, PwC and Deloitte) expanding into the legal services arena and threatening the position of more &lt;a href="[f669d9a7-009d-4d83-ddaa-000000000002]7B419546-9BE7-4547-B040-49D402C6565E/what-are-traditional-law-firms-doing-to-attract-new-talent"&gt;traditional law firms&lt;/a&gt;. A &lt;a data-sf-ec-immutable="" href="/research-and-reports/big-4-report.html"&gt;new report from UUÂãÁÄÖ±²¥&lt;/a&gt; assesses the competition posed by the Big Four, on the back of a growing cadre of alternative legal service providers (ALSPs), and how some of the incumbent firms are responding to the disruption.&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;But despite the incursion of the Big Four and ALSPs, it seems that traditional firms are holding their own. &lt;a data-sf-ec-immutable="" href="https://www.thelawyer.com/inflation-figures-prove-the-value-of-a-good-lawyer/"&gt;The Lawyer&lt;/a&gt; recently reported that the average price of legal advice to UK businesses rose by 4% over 2020. In comparison, there was no rise in the fees charged by accountants and a reduction in management consultancy fees over the same period. The conclusion of the article was that: &amp;ldquo;&lt;em&gt;In a crisis, businesses will always turn to their lawyers first and their consultants second.&lt;/em&gt;&amp;rdquo;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Why traditional law firms shouldn't fear the big four's expansion&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The fact that law firms have been able to charge more over the pandemic, whilst consultancies have been forced to reduce their fees, implies that traditional firms may have an advantage over the newer players in th&lt;/p&gt;</a10:content><media:content url="/blog/images/default-source/technology/featured-images/large-law-dont-worry-about-big-four.tmb-rssthumbna.jpg?sfvrsn=f7122c47_1" width="300" height="300" xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss"></media:content></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">urn:uuid:f5b370eb-18be-4d5e-8fa5-a78480376baa</guid><link>/blog/brexit/brexit-highlights-29-january-2021</link><category>Brexit</category><title>Brexit highlights—29 January 2021</title><description>These Brexit highlights bring you a summary of the latest Brexit news and legislation updates from across a range of UUÂãÁÄÖ±²¥Â® practice areas, collated on 29 January 2021.</description><pubDate>Fri, 29 Jan 2021 00:00:00 Z</pubDate><a10:content type="text">&lt;p&gt;These Brexit highlights bring you a summary of the latest Brexit news and legislation updates from across a range of UUÂãÁÄÖ±²¥&amp;reg; practice areas, collated on 29 January 2021.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;section&gt;&lt;h1&gt;General Brexit headlines&lt;/h1&gt;&lt;p&gt;This section contains key overarching Brexit news headlines.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;section&gt;&lt;h2&gt;Brexit Bulletin&amp;mdash;Cabinet Office briefing examines support needed for traders&lt;/h2&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Cabinet Office has published a release following a briefing with businesses to discuss continuing challenges that traders face and solutions to outstanding issues in light of the end of the Brexit transition period. The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Michael Gove, held a meeting of the Brexit Business Taskforce on 28 January 2021 'to reaffirm the government&amp;rsquo;s commitment to help companies adjust to new trading rules with the EU'.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;See:&amp;nbsp;&lt;a data-sf-ec-immutable="" href="https://www.lexisnexis.com/uk/lexispsl/publiclaw/document/412012/61WB-B7B3-GXFD-82T1/linkHandler.faces?psldocinfo=Brexit_highlights_29_January_2021&amp;amp;ps=null&amp;amp;bct=A&amp;amp;homeCsi=0&amp;amp;A=0.7998347227861339&amp;amp;urlEnc=ISO-8859-1&amp;amp;&amp;amp;remotekey1=DIGEST-CITATION(LNB%20News%2029/01/2021%2025)&amp;amp;remotekey2=All%20Subscribed%20Current%20Awareness%20Sources&amp;amp;dpsi=0S4D&amp;amp;cmd=f:exp&amp;amp;service=QUERY&amp;amp;origdpsi=0S4D" title="References to"&gt;LNB News 29/01/2021 25&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/section&gt;&lt;section&gt;&lt;aside&gt;&lt;hr data-sf-ec-immutable=""&gt;&lt;/aside&gt;&lt;h2&gt;Brexit Bulletin&amp;mdash;ESC reports on the Northern Ireland Protocol and EU climate policy&lt;/h2&gt;&lt;p&gt;The European Scrutiny Committee (ESC) has published its 34th report on recent draft EU legislation and policy documents deposited in Parliament by the government. The ESC gauges the legal and political importance of each legislative proposal and, where appropriate, inquires further on its implications and/or recommends it for debate. Subjects identified as legally and/or politically important include EU financial support for regions and sectors impacted by the UK&amp;rsquo;s withdrawal, EU climate policy and how the EU electric vehicle battery Regulation will apply in Northern Ireland under the Northern Ireland Protocol to the Withdrawal Agreement.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;See:&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href="https://www.lexisnexis.com/uk/lexispsl/publiclaw/document/412012/61WB-B7B3-GXFD-82T1/linkHandler.faces?psldocinfo=Brexit_highlights_29_January_2021&amp;amp;ps=null&amp;amp;bct=A&amp;amp;homeCsi=0&amp;amp;A=0.7998347227861339&amp;amp;urlEnc=ISO-8859-1&amp;amp;&amp;amp;remotekey1=DIGEST-CITATION(LNB%20News%2026/01/2021%2077)&amp;amp;remotekey2=All%20Subscribed%20Current%20Awareness%20Sources&amp;amp;dpsi=0S4D&amp;amp;cmd=f:exp&amp;amp;service=QUERY&amp;amp;origdpsi=0S4D" title="References to"&gt;LNB News 26/01/2021 77&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/section&gt;&lt;section&gt;&lt;aside&gt;&lt;hr data-sf-ec-immutable=""&gt;&lt;/aside&gt;&lt;h2&gt;Brexit Bulletin&amp;mdash;EFRA launches urgent inquiry into border delays for meat and fish exports&lt;/h2&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Environment,&amp;nbsp;Food&amp;nbsp;and&amp;nbsp;Rural&amp;nbsp;Affairs (EFRA)&amp;nbsp;Committee has launched an urgent inquiry into border delays for meat and fish exports since 1 January 2021. The inquiry will explore how the government can support meat and fish exporters, long and short term action plans for exports to the EU, and scrutinise the government's immediate response to disruptions over the past month. The EFRA Committee is also asking questions relating to UK preparedness for checking food imports from the EU and what lessons have &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/section&gt;&lt;/section&gt;</a10:content><media:content url="/blog/images/default-source/the-future-of-law/brexit-highlights-image.tmb-rssthumbna.png?sfvrsn=4350944d_1" width="300" height="300" xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss"></media:content></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">urn:uuid:872cb025-3f62-4463-bcb2-e245eeae3847</guid><link>/blog/future-of-law/why-is-advancing-the-rule-of-law-so-important</link><category>Future of Law</category><title>How does advancing the rule of law protect our rights and freedoms?</title><description>Uncover why advancing the rule of law is vital for a fair and thriving society. Learn how UUÂãÁÄÖ±²¥ leads this mission and explore meaningful ways businesses can get involved to drive real change.</description><pubDate>Fri, 21 Feb 2020 10:42:46 Z</pubDate><a10:content type="text">&lt;p&gt;Have you ever considered your &lt;a href="/blog/dispute-resolution/supreme-court-human-rights-litigation-costs" data-sf-ec-immutable=""&gt;human rights&lt;/a&gt;? The Universal Declaration of Human Rights outlines our various rights under the law, the most basic being:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&amp;ldquo;We are all equal before the law.&amp;rdquo;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;But, is this really the case?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Across the globe this very basic human right, and many others are being challenged. UUÂãÁÄÖ±²¥ &lt;a data-sf-ec-immutable="" href="https://rolfoundation.org/"&gt;Rule of Law foundation&lt;/a&gt; identified that 57% of the world&amp;rsquo;s population lives outside the umbrella protection of the rule of law. This equals roughly five billion people who are struggling for basic human rights on a daily basis.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As advancers of the &lt;a href="[f669d9a7-009d-4d83-ddaa-000000000002]7B419546-9BE7-4547-B040-49D402C6565E/what-is-the-rule-of-law"&gt;rule of law&lt;/a&gt;, UUÂãÁÄÖ±²¥&amp;rsquo; mission is to reduce this number down to zero. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This mission was recently recognised by the United Nations, seeing Mike Walsh, CEO of UUÂãÁÄÖ±²¥ Legal &amp;amp; Professional, receive a Global Leadership Award from the United Nations Foundation in recognition of the company&amp;rsquo;s contributions to advancing the rule of law globally.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Core principles and global importance of the rule of law&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The rule of law is the foundation for the development of peaceful, prosperous societies and global equality.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In 1885 Professor A V Dicey broken the concept down into three sections:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;no man could be lawfully interfered or punished by the authorities except for breaches of law established in the ordinary manner before the courts of land&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;no man is above the law and everyone, whatever his condition or rank is, is subject to the ordinary laws of the land&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;the result of the ordinary law of the land is constitution&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;UUÂãÁÄÖ±²¥ has followed suit with its own definitio&lt;/p&gt;</a10:content><media:content url="/blog/images/default-source/default-images/istock-1180187740.tmb-rssthumbna.jpg?sfvrsn=cb7b420c_1" width="300" height="300" xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss"></media:content></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">urn:uuid:229d90d7-e7b7-49fb-995a-9289e0f24d4f</guid><link>/blog/future-of-law/why-law-firms-are-still-reluctant-to-adopt-technology</link><category>Future of Law</category><title>What are the top challenges holding law firms back from embracing technology innovations?</title><description>Explore the hesitations of law firms in embracing technology, from concerns over costs to the impact on client relationships.</description><pubDate>Tue, 07 Jun 2016 01:30:12 Z</pubDate><a10:content type="text">&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Lawyers struggle to grasp what true technology adoption means&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;One
 of the recurring themes running through all of our UUÂãÁÄÖ±²¥ reports this year is the growing importance of &lt;a href="[f669d9a7-009d-4d83-ddaa-000000000002]7B419546-9BE7-4547-B040-49D402C6565E/technology-the-law"&gt;technology&lt;/a&gt;. The vast majority of lawyers we&amp;rsquo;ve interviewed agreed that they &amp;ldquo;must&amp;rdquo; invest in and adopt new technology to
    survive the next five years.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;But, according to the latest &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href="/bellwether/assets/pdfs/Lexis-nexis-report-2016_interactive%20version03.pdf" data-sf-ec-immutable=""&gt;Bellwether Report; The Riddle of Perception,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/em&gt;it seems many lawyers are still reluctant to use it throughout the business. And a whopping 87% of firms don&amp;rsquo;t see the advantages of using artificial intelligence tools
    to inform their decisions at all.&lt;strong&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;So what&amp;rsquo;s the problem? Why if we&amp;rsquo;re agreed that &lt;a href="[f669d9a7-009d-4d83-ddaa-000000000002]7B419546-9BE7-4547-B040-49D402C6565E/how-to-grow-your-law-firm"&gt;law firms&lt;/a&gt; won&amp;rsquo;t survive without investment in technology are so many lawyers still not adopting these powerful new tools?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Why many lawyers settle for outdated practices&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The report suggests that it&amp;rsquo;s because most lawyers have a tendency to believe their own practice is better equipped than others to confront technology challenges. That it&amp;rsquo;s simply a matter of seeing what they want to see.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;It also suggests that lawyers are not always clear about what it means to adopt new technology. Some think that simply having a website and social media account is embracing technology, while others are looking at technology solutions throughout the business,
    driving efficiency of client servicing, adopting Bespoke Precedents and Calculators, Drafting and Proof-reading tools, &lt;a href="/products/lexis-plus-practical-guidance.html#:~:text=checklists%2c%20calculators%20and%20flow%2dcharts,legal%20work%20and%20ensure%20accuracy.&amp;amp;text=clear%2c%20up%2dto%2ddate,with%20q href="/"&gt;&lt;/a href="/products/lexis-plus-practical-guidance.html#:~:text=checklists%2c%20calculators%20and%20flow%2dcharts,legal%20work%20and%20ensure%20accuracy.&amp;amp;text=clear%2c%20up%2dto%2ddate,with%20q&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</a10:content><media:content url="/blog/images/default-source/loan-ranger/glenn-carstens-peters-npxxwgq33zq-unsplashd36ce267-b471-4461-a5b1-1bfc50bc49c1.tmb-rssthumbna.jpg?sfvrsn=b7729c9a_1" width="300" height="300" xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss"></media:content></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">urn:uuid:5fff2347-7860-4705-9872-3909ba56512c</guid><link>/blog/future-of-law/large-law-firms-ponzi-schemes</link><category>Future of Law</category><title>Is the traditional law firm model a ponzi scheme?</title><description>Uncover the shocking parallels between large law firms and Ponzi schemes in our insightful blog. Stay informed on the legal landscape and learn how to safeguard your practice from potential pitfalls.</description><pubDate>Tue, 16 Jul 2013 09:17:57 Z</pubDate><a10:content type="text">&lt;p&gt;By &lt;a href="http://lexislegalintelligence.co.uk/intelligence/blawg/nick-jarrett-kerr/" data-sf-ec-immutable=""&gt;Nick Jarrett-Kerr&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The traditional large &lt;a href="[f669d9a7-009d-4d83-ddaa-000000000002]7B419546-9BE7-4547-B040-49D402C6565E/law-firms-think-like-a-business-first-a-law-firm-second"&gt;law firm&lt;/a&gt; model has often been likened by its detractors to a Ponzi Scheme &amp;ndash; a giant pyramid structure in which those at the top of the pile benefit unfairly from the hard work of the &lt;a href="[f669d9a7-009d-4d83-ddaa-000000000002]989FB383-18F1-4B05-860D-C7607CBE56BA/key-skills-junior-lawyers-need-to-succeed"&gt;junior lawyers&lt;/a&gt; who are building up from the bottom.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ponzi Schemes of course are fraudulent, and whilst the description unfairly applies to law firms given the emphasis on &lt;a href="[f669d9a7-009d-4d83-ddaa-000000000002]7B419546-9BE7-4547-B040-49D402C6565E/5-key-steps-to-improve-your-regulatory-compliance"&gt;compliance&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;and &lt;a href="/blog/dispute-resolution/the-only-way-is-ethics" data-sf-ec-immutable=""&gt;ethics&lt;/a&gt;, there are elements of truth in it. The polite and more correct description for the large law firm &lt;a href="[f669d9a7-009d-4d83-ddaa-000000000002]7B419546-9BE7-4547-B040-49D402C6565E/new-types-of-business-models-for-the-legal-profession"&gt;business model&lt;/a&gt; has included the word &amp;ldquo;leverage&amp;rdquo;. At the start of their careers, junior lawyers have traditionally worked their fingers to the bone in the hope that their efforts will be rewarded in future years and that one day they in turn will benefit from the endeavours of lawyers more junior than them.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This model relies on three essential features, all of which are under challenge now. The first is that the model can only work if law firms grow at a sufficient rate to allow career progression and for the leverage structure to be rebuilt under each promoted partner as he or she moves up the pyramid. Hence a firm with a leverage ratio of five &lt;a href="[f669d9a7-009d-4d83-ddaa-000000000002]7B419546-9BE7-4547-B040-49D402C6565E/how-to-be-a-more-productive-lawyer"&gt;lawyers&lt;/a&gt; for every partner essentially needs to continue to grow at the rate of five lawyers for every young lawyer that it adds to its partner comple&lt;/p&gt;</a10:content><media:content url="/blog/images/default-source/the-future-of-law/featured-images/sa-1019-028-925x286(wetransferprovided)11.tmb-rssthumbna.jpg?sfvrsn=fc11e213_2" width="300" height="300" xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss"></media:content></item><item><description /></item><item><description /></item></channel></rss>