Expert Analysis

• Tackling UK Case Backlog Requires Proper Court Funding

  

  Until the U.K. government takes powerful measures to address IT issues, poorly maintained courtrooms and wage demands, the crown court backlog will continue to rise to the detriment of all stakeholders in the criminal court system and the public at large, says Rubin Italia at Stokoe Partnership.

• 5 Ways For A Legal Practice To Close Technology Gaps

  

  With technology a driving force for success, the U.K. legal sector must embrace innovation to maintain its competitive edge, and investing in new processes is no longer optional, says Gareth Preece at Doherty Associates.

• Opinion

  Thomas Report Is Final Straw — High Court Needs Ethics Code

  

  As a recent report on Justice Clarence Thomas' ongoing conflicts of interest makes evident, Supreme Court justices should be subject to an enforceable and binding code of ethics — like all other federal judges — to maintain the credibility of the institution, says Erica Salmon Byrne at Ethisphere.

• PR Perspectives: Optimizing Social Media As A Lawyer

  

  The opportunities for social media to increase a business are unlimited despite its flaws, and to make the most of its potential, training and regular updates should be part of all lawyers’ professional development, say Steve Rudaini and Emma Maule at MD Communications.

• Highlights Of The UK's New Economic Crime Plan

  

  With the direction of the U.K. government’s newly launched second economic crime plan undeniably altered by the recent focus on kleptocrats and their money, the emphasis is now on how the U.K. can deliver a more effective approach to reducing the threat of economic crime, says Kathryn Westmore at the Royal United Services Institute.

• How Lawyers' Behavior Can Affect Opponents' Mental Health

  

  Acts of unreasonable behavior of lawyers working on opposite sides can take their toll, and with mental health and stress never higher in the national consciousness than right now, such conduct should be reported to help the firm understand the treatment its solicitors are receiving and better manage the situation, says Libby Payne at Withers.

• The Challenges Of Presenting To Clients In The Hybrid World

  

  As a sector that is guided heavily by the demands of its client base, the legal industry will have to overcome various obstacles to make stylish, convincing and successful in-the-room, virtual and hybrid presentations in the post-pandemic blend of home and office, says Gavin Brown at Speak with Impact.

• 5 Challenges General Counsel Are Set To Face

  

  With an ever-broadening role, general counsel are being tasked to do more with less, with a need for caution and a requirement to leverage time wisely to anticipate and identify emerging industry challenges, says Jerry Temko at Major Lindsey.

• How SRA Workplace Culture Guidance May Help Legal Sector

  

  Whether or not the Solicitors Regulation Authority acts on its recently released guidance on toxic workplace environments in law firms and imposes harsh sanctions, it will hopefully encourage some positive top-down changes, and should give individuals confidence to demand acceptable behavior, says Georgina Calvert-Lee at Bellevue Law.

• Beyond ChatGPT: AI Considerations For Law Firms

  

  The use of artificial intelligence is likely to become increasingly mainstream in the legal sector, and firms should not remain complacent in the current limitations of ChatGPT, but develop policies to ensure that AI-generated liability and regulatory issues are addressed sooner rather than later, say Corinne Staves and Andrew Pavlovic at CM Murray.

• Reflecting On The Benefits Of Direct Access To Barristers

  

  At close to 20 years since public access to barristers came into being, it is a good time to take a look at its impact on the U.K. legal profession and the more collaborative approach between barristers and solicitors we have seen develop since its introduction, say Amani Mohammed and Sean Gould at Westgate Chambers.

• How Apprenticeships Are Transforming The Legal Sector

  

  As more legal employers recognize the benefits of creating apprenticeship opportunities, they are likely to grow in popularity, ensuring that the best and brightest minds are available to meet the challenges of an ever complex and changing legal environment, says Aisha Saeed at Addleshaw Goddard.

• Pitfalls Lawyers Should Avoid When Correcting Their Mistakes

  

  When solicitors make mistakes that cause prejudice to their clients, they will need to carefully consider whether they should try to fix their mistake, as trying to put things right may expose them to potential regulatory action, says Andrew Pavlovic at CM Murray.

• Translating The Plan For English-Language German Courts

  

  The German Ministry of Justice is aiming to do away with the mistakes of the past and overhaul the German civil procedure in order to accommodate English-language disputes, but the success of these proceedings will depend very much on factors that the proposal does not address, say Jan Schaefer and Rüdiger Morbach at King & Spalding.

• A Breakdown Of The SRA's Proposed New Fining Powers

  

  Thanks to the Solicitors Regulation Authority's pending new fining framework, which includes guidance on unsuitable fines and a fixed penalties scheme for low-level breaches, firms can expect to see more disciplinary findings leading to an SRA fine rather than referral to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal, say Graham Reid and Shanice Holder at RPC.