Technology and the law: the eternal struggle

Michael Humphreys QC, Chairman of the Commercial Bar Association, outlines the impact of technology in law in advance of the British Irish Commercial Bar Conference on the 21st April in Belfast.

“It is often perceived that the legal profession is resistant to change and slow to embrace new technology. However, in the field of commercial law, there is a growing awareness of how such advances can enable lawyers to better serve their clients’ interests. The British Irish Commercial Bar Association (BICBA) is meeting in Belfast to consider how the opportunities created by the digital age can be harnessed to make dispute resolution more efficient and effective.

It is well recognised that new technologies enable repetitive tasks to be completed more quickly and more accurately. This can mean better value for money for the client. However, developments such as online dispute resolution create risks for both lawyers and clients which require careful management. Just as Google is no substitute for qualified and skilled medical advice, commercial entities will always require quality advice and advocacy in order to protect their interests. Technology cannot navigate you through complex legal issues, negotiate on your behalf or challenge the expert evidence being used against you. For this, you will always require the services and support of trained legal professionals. Commercial lawyers guarantee that our services, whether advocating in court, mediating or offering written advice, will truly meet a client’s needs.

As well as impacting upon the practices and procedures of lawyers in and out of the courtroom, the technological age has also created whole new areas of litigation. The BICBA Conference will also focus on some recent developments in the field, including groundbreaking litigation against Facebook and Google.

The BICBA Conference aims to address how lawyers should best adapt to the ever-changing expectations and demands of legal service consumers. The focus will be on how lawyers can best meet those demands in the 21^st century whilst being cognisant of the risks and challenges presented by the digital age.”

BICBA will be held on 21^st April 2016 in the Royal Courts of Justice. Speakers include Lord Neuberger, President of the Supreme Court and Lord Kerr Justice of the Supreme Court and former Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland. Visit www.bicba.com