Legal future: neurotech
The Times (£), the Mandarin, Business News, Above the Law and LawSites report on a neurotech study commissioned by the Law Society from University of Sydney criminal law scholar Dr Allan McCay.
The research raises questions about how technologies which interact with the brain could be used in future and some of the previously unexplored legal implications neurotechnology might give rise to.
Dr Kion Ahadi, our director of strategy, futures and insights said that implanting chips in lawyers’ brains would raise concerns. “Any fusion poses interesting and complex ethical and legal issues.”
Legal risks of Don’t Pay UK
The Mirror reports the legal risks for people considering cancelling their electricity bills amid the spiralling cost of living crisis.
Gary Rycroft, a member of our council membership committee, said: “Unlike harnessing people power by going on a protest march, refusing to pay your bill is technically a breach of contract between you and the energy company and could have a huge impact on your finances.”
Also picked up by MSN.
Sustained investment needed to cut Crown Court backlog
City A.M. covers our response to HM Courts and Tribunal Service’s latest statistics on the Crown Court backlog. In June, the backlog increased from 58,540 cases in April to 58,973 in June.
Law Society of England and Wales president I. Stephanie Boyce said: “Courts are in a crumbling state and the criminal justice system is on its knees.”
“To make a significant dent in the backlog, sustained investment is needed to ensure there are enough judges, prosecutors and defence lawyers to cover the mountain of cases.”
The story is also picked up by MSN and Business Mayor.
Rape conviction rates
Lubna Shuja, our vice president, speaks to Each Other about low conviction rates in rape trials.
She said the latest figures show there needs to be a “radical shift,” adding that “looking at the longer view, the backlog is decreasing at a snail’s pace – by just 286 cases in six months from November 2021 [to] April 2022 – but the fact the backlog has gone up again in the most recent month tells us the problem will not be resolved without a radical shift from the Ministry of Justice.”
Cyber insurance
We recently published revised and updated guidance outlining how firms can cover costs and losses in the event of cyber attacks.
Law Society president I. Stephanie Boyce tells Today’s Conveyancer: “Protection and prevention should be a firm’s priorities to guard against damaging cyber attacks. Insurance is not a substitute for good protection, but an additional safeguard to cover certain costs and losses in the event of a cyber attack.
“It’s not a strict regulatory requirement for solicitors to purchase cyber insurance, but it’s a sensible precaution. Failure to purchase such cover may conflict with solicitors’ regulatory responsibility to have ‘adequate and appropriate insurance,’ or leave them exposed to regulatory action for data breaches.”
Read our cyber insurance guidance
LawTech funding
The UK government recently invested a further £4 million of investment in LawTech.
Lubna Shuja told Today’s Wills & Probate and Today’s Conveyancer: “It is good to see the government is continuing to invest in LawTech.
“Research from KPMG commissioned by the Law Society showed the UK ranks second only to the US for legal services, contributing £60bn gross value added to the UK economy and employing 552,000 people.
“Our research also found the UK is a global hub for LawTech, with London serving as a magnet for global tech investors looking to get the latest cutting-edge technologies.”
Also in the Gazette
Also worth a read:
- Fewer solicitors struck off by SDT as case costs rise – Gazette
- LeO responds to criticism of long wait times – Today’s Conveyancer
- Salman Rushdie attack: Road to recovery has begun – Guardian
- Starmer calls for extension of tax on gas and oil companies – BBC
- Right to free sanitary products becomes law in Scotland – BBC