Article
I have found myself coming back to this article from Lawyer Monthly concerning the initial impact of coronavirus on law firms, again and again. The piece gives a valuable and well thought insight into the response and future of law firms while remaining succinct and well written to the end. I found the article relatively quick and easy while not being too heavy with technical jargon, definitely worth looking at for a simple overview. https://www.lawyer-monthly.com/2020/04/coronavirus-its-initial-impact-on-law-firms/
Podcast
Episode 71 of LawNext features Richard Susskind addressing how coronavirus is impacting the legal field and discussing virtual courts. He is clearly an expert amongst legal futurists and it’s always incredibly interesting to hear Susskind talk. I particularly enjoyed hearing him discuss how implementation of technology and online courts will help to address some of the inequality within the legal system. LawNext is a fantastic podcast that I always listen to with a notepad and pen but this episode in particular felt incredibly relevant and eye-opening given the current situation. This and all other episodes of LawNext can be listened to here: https://lawnext.libsyn.com/legal-futurist-richard-susskind-on-coronavirus-courts-and-the-legal-profession
Video Content
“Legal Technology Track: How Artificial Intelligence is Affecting the Practice of Law” is the clearest introduction to AI (and possible implementations of this in law) I have seen. I cannot recommend this enough if you are looking to learn some AI basics and better understand how this is applied to everyday life and law. Andrew Arruda gives this lecture at the 2019 Clio Cloud Conference. The video can be seen on Youtube for free here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmpZhKjZOuU.
Other
In light of the current situation, there is a significant amount of concern over Summer vocations for law students. The situation of whether these places will still be possible remains unclear or have already been cancelled which will surely be a source of anxiety for many. One excellent resource that I have been using is a virtual work experience programme with Pinsent Mason, the lessons and assignments are an excellent way to develop some key skills and having access to experience with such a large employer is an amazing opportunity. You can find out more and sign up to take part at: https://graduate.pinsentmasons.com/your-route-into-law/work-experience/virtual-work-experience/
Non-Law Recommendation
A little bit of an older book (published May 2011) but written by an author whose work I have really enjoyed in the past and that’s content I have found particularly relevant in 2020. Jon Ronson’s “The Psychopath Test” is a frank and raw analysis of mental health with a particular focus on diagnosis, treatment and the industry that surrounds this. Analysed through the fascinating extreme of psychopathy, Ronson investigates many of the issues and consequences of the mental health system as well as confirmation bias and the line between sanity and insanity. The book can be one sided and surface level at times, but as long as you read with a healthy scepticism and awareness of this, I would recommend this as a very entertaining part of a wider reading into the subject.
Any mistakes, innaccuracies or misrepresentations are entirely my own error for which I take sole responsibility and will rectify upon becoming aware of the situation.
Rachel Lawson – I am a 2nd year Scots Law student at the University of Dundee, the 2019 recipient of the Harold How memorial award (for most meritorious first year law student) and have an avid interest in how the legal field will develop in the coming years and technology’s impact on this.
Law, Technology and Innovation 