2 minute read
From the Editor
MICHAEL ESPOSITO, EDITOR
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Welcome all to 2021! We managed to get through 2020, and although the problems of last year did not magically disappear upon the advent of the New Year, it still felt like a psychological line that was a relief to cross.
Of course, COVID-19 still poses a great threat, and in a number of countries the virus is spreading faster than ever before. In Australia, despite our sterling efforts to control the virus, it appears we will be dealing with outbreaks for the foreseeable future, and hope that our containment efforts remain more akin to putting out spot fi res rather than battling all-encompassing infernos.
The roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines, which by and large are considered by the scientifi c community to be extremely effective, is a source of great hope, and the fact that the new administration in the US appears to take the pandemic more seriously than the previous administration should also instil some confi dence that we will overcome this global existential threat.
The pandemic has forced us to drastically alter our lifestyles, particularly our work practices. We’ve all heard a lot about the need to “pivot” to more fl exible, technology-enabled, virtual means of performing tasks, but in the scramble to adapt to a post-COVID environment and toil away just to stay afl oat, most of us have had little time to refl ect on the longterm implications of the pandemic.
In this edition of the Bulletin, which is themed “Innovation & Adaption”, we aim to do just that. In 2017, the Law Society of NSW released a landmark “Future of Law and Innovation in the Profession” (FLIP) report, which explored how the delivery of legal services (and the demand for those services) was changing, and forecasted what the practice of law would look like in the future. The report provided a number of recommendations as to steps the profession ought to take in order to survive and thrive in a rapidly changing environment.
The FLIP report could not have foreseen the onset of COVID-19, and in this edition, two of the key architects of the report, Professor Michael Legg and former Law Society of NSW President Gary Ulman, re-evaluate the FLIP report in the context of the pandemic and refl ect on how we should think about the future of our profession.
The Bulletin also contains contributions from all three South Australian law schools, outlining how they educated law students during COVID-19, new or adapted modes of delivery that will likely remain beyond the pandemic, and critically, how the universities are ensuring that future lawyers have the capacity to think creatively and innovatively to deliver solutions.
It is clear that practitioners must be adaptable, keep developing new skills and keep updating their knowledge.
You will no doubt hear a lot more from the Society about innovation and adaption, particularly with new president, Rebecca Sandford, declaring that the role of technology in delivering legal services will be a key area of focus during her presidency.
I hope you enjoy the fi rst Bulletin of the year, and here’s to fi nding stability while embracing change. B
IN THIS ISSUE
WORKING FROM HOME
Employment issues during COVID-19
MODERN DAY SURVEILLANCE
A human rights perspective
TAXING TIMES
Is there an appetite for tax reform?
