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Technology and the Law

TECHNOLOGY AND THE LAW – FUTUREPROOF YOUR LEGAL CAREER

SCHELLIE-JAYNE PRICE

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Senior Legal Counsel Chevron Australia

Fantastic news - an exciting, intellectually challenging legal career awaits you! As new lawyers you’ll spend more time on higher level strategic legal analysis than any previous generation, all because of tech! The repetitive, routine (aka dull) legal work is increasingly being undertaken by technology. Happily, that means you’ll be liberated from the routine to focus on the type of complex legal problem solving which attracted clever people like yourselves to the law in the first place. So, the practice and business of law is changing – fast. And while it’s impossible to predict exactly how things will develop in the future, it is certain to be very different to the past. Here’s a preview of what’s already on the horizon: •Lawyers routinely use increasingly sophisticated technology to automate tasks, generate insights and predict outcomes. In particular, Data

Analytics and Machine Learning, a type of

AI where systems learn autonomously from information and experience, will be deployed by lawyers in new and unique ways to deliver faster, better, more cost effective legal services and to gain deep insights into the legal market and potential new business opportunities. •Lawyers (even those without coding experience) build their own legal apps using low code and no code platforms. This is called Citizen

Development and in the future, more legal apps will be built by lawyer citizen developers than professional coders. •Burgeoning market of Productised Legal Services (PLS). PLS are offered, typically online, as a standardised product at a fixed price. PLS enhance access to justice by assisting people with legal problems at a more affordable price point than bespoke legal advice. A fantastic example of a free PLS is the “Dividing Fences

App” from Subiaco Justice Centre which helps people resolve dividing fence issues with their neighbours. •Increased demand for legal advice on new and emerging technology e.g. AI, smart legal contracts, blockchain, 3D printing, digital assets like Non Fungible Tokens, autonomous vehicles, internet of things, cryptocurrency and cyber security. Welcome to the Fourth Industrial

Revolution, where technological development is fast outpacing the law. •Legal advice and services focused on a positive client experience and delivered in new and unique ways to meet the needs of the client (e.g. use of interactive decision trees, automated flow charts, and enhanced graphic design elements such as attractive colour palettes, fonts and icons). This is called Human Centred Design. Legal Careers may include new roles in: •Legal Operations: optimising the delivery of legal services through more efficient processes, capturing cost efficiencies and deploying technology. Legal Operations roles are available in law firms and organisations with in-house legal departments (Government, Not-For-Profit,

Business). •Legal Innovation: rethinking the delivery of legal advice and services using problem solving skills, off the shelf technologies and legal automation expertise. Legal Innovation roles are available in law firms, organisations with in-house legal departments, legal start-ups and legal tech providers. Top tip: zeitgeist savvy lawyers are continuously on a journey of legal innovation! •Legal Tech Start-Ups and Legal App development roles: building apps to support lawyers or creating productised legal services. •New and Emerging Technology Legal Practice: understanding new and emerging technology.

Working with clients as partners on product development. Advising on legal considerations and compliance under existing laws and ethical

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