Modern Law Magazine Issue 65

Issue 65
ISSN 2050-5744
THE BUSINESS OF LAW
Is tech the
cherry on
top?
P08 Eric P10 Electra P14
Hunter
Predicting the Future
Japonas
Innovation Through Collaboration
Raymond
Sun
The Intersection of A.I. and Law

Through all
weathers
we have you
covered.
Are you looking
for an insurer that
offers competitive
premiums but pays
claims promptly
when things go
wrong?
The cherry on top is not the star of the
show. It was never intended to be, but it
undoubtably adds an extra little sweetness
to the cake. The cake will be just as tasty
without the cherry, but a cherry without a
cake is just a plain old cherry (still delicious
though). In essence, the cherry doesn’t
make the cake, it simply adds to it.
This idea is something that resonates
throughout this edition of Modern
Law Magazine, but replace the cake
with human input and the cherry with
technology. As you read through the
pages, you will see how legal professionals
are implementing new and innovative
technology into their work processes,
whilst maintaining and enhancing the
essential human touch/input that is the
backbone of the legal industry.
Opening this issue are three interviews
with legal tech thought leaders, and
innovators including Global Futurist Eric
Hunter, Co-Founder of oneNDA Electra
Japonas, and Technology Lawyer and
aspiring A.I. Developer Raymond Sun.
They all share expertise in their field and
tell us of their predictions on the future
of legal work. Following our interviews,
we have four thought provoking articles
written by Savvas Skordellis, Mercy
Chirau, Claudio Palmeri, and Natasha
Lewis. In these articles you will find
insights into embracing technology,
sustainable approaches to tech, how to
harness tech to elevate communication,
and building your own software to meet
your needs.
Our Editorial Board discusses how
technology is impacting work flow,
and how it is changing the role of the
modern legal professional. They touch on
the importance of law firms embracing
Is tech the cherry on top?
“An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.”
Benjamin Franklin
technology, how to co-exist with tech,
adapting human input, and minimising
your firm’s environmental footprint.
Following on from the Editorial Board,
we have three incredible features from
Charlotte Lords, Hannah Ajikawo, and
Lauren Watson. They each go into detail
about their area of expertise, and share
practical knowledge on embracing social
media to grow your reach, how to utilise
technology to drive up sales, and how to
navigate the intrepid world of pricing.
If you flick to page 40, you’ll read all
about the recent inaugural Modern Law
Private Client Awards, see all the names
of the winners of the evening, and highlycommended
recipients. There you will find
photos of our guests tearing up the dance
floor and having the time of their lives.
On behalf of all of us at Modern Law, I
would like to take this opportunity to once
again congratulate all of our fabulous
winners, highly-commended recipients,
and shortlisted candidates for their
achievements and successes. The night
was truly amazing and memorable.
In this issue, we also have a special
Personal Injury Roundtable that
includes industry leaders talking about
the issues facing the personal injury
sector, their hopes for the future of
their work, and how tech is streamlining
processes, making a more seamless path
to recovery for clients.
Our new Tech Interviews shed a light on
the services available and how embracing
help from technology can aid in work
load and efficiency. We learn how their
products lead to a new way of working,
that streamlines workflow and makes the
legal sector a more efficient place to work.
You can also find out about Modern Law’s
Day at the Bold Legal Group Summer
Conference 2023 held in the beautiful
Regent’s Park, London, and read all about
what insightful talks and opportunities
were on offer for attendees. Thank you
to Rob and Lynne Hailstone for inviting
Modern Law to the conference. We
thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.
Our conveyancing panel is back
discussing tech’s impact on the
conveyancing world, how to keep your
client’s data safe, the unique pressures of
the sector and much more!
Don’t forget to catch this issue’s 10
Minutes With where we talk to the
amazing Hannah Ford, and learn all
about who she is and what makes her tick.
Lastly, I would like to welcome
Modern Law’s new Sales Assistant,
Warrick Olivier. Warrick is diving head
first into the legal world as he takes
over the sales mantel from Kate. He’s
an eager beaver ready to bring you all
the best stories, discussions, opinions
and information out there. So, keep
an eye out for Warrick in your DM’s!
Welcome Warrick!
Emily Wade is Assistant Editor
at Modern Law Magazine
01765 600909 | emily@charltongrant.co.uk
modernlawmagazine.com
Call Kirsten Roberts on
0203 074 1104 or email
kirsten@boxlegal.co.uk
Editorial Contributors
Kathliya Harwood, Speech Processing Solutions
Johnathan Upton, Estate Research
Adrian Jaggard, Taylor Rose MW
Julia Salasky, Legl
Alex Holt, The Cashroom
Martin Cheek, Smart Search
Neville Dinshaw, Law Mergers & Acquisitions
Bronwyn Townsend, InfoTrack
Mark Holt, Frenkel Topping Group
HOUSING DISREPAIR • CLINICAL NEGLIGENCE • EL • PL • OL • RTA •
FINANCIAL MIS-SELLING • PCP MOTOR CLAIMS • CONTENTIOUS PROBATE •
ISSUE 65
ISSN 2050-5744
Assistant Editor
Emily Wade
Project Manager & Events Sales
Kate McKittrick
Modern Law Magazine is published by Charlton Grant Ltd ©2023
All material is copyrighted both written and illustrated.
Reproduction in part or whole is strictly forbidden without
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CONTENTS
CONTENTS
INTERVIEW
06 Looking to the Future
Eric Hunter, Global Futurist, teaches us about the impact of technology on human
behaviour and gives us an insight into the future of the legal landscape.
10 Innovation Through Collaboration
Electra Japonas, Co-Founder of oneNDA, tells us about the creation of
the revolutionary, open-source resource that came to fruition through
collaborating with the entire legal community around the world.
14 The Intersection of A.I. and Law
Raymond Sun talks to us about the work he has being doing in A.I. regulation
and the importance of keeping a close eye on the effect it is having on the
industry. Find out about the free resource Global A.I. Regulations Tracker.
FEATURE
32 From Memes to Hashtags: Why Lawyers Should Be Embracing
Social Media
Charlotte Lord teaches us how to utilise social media to grow our network,
careers, and opportunities.
34 Leveraging Technology to Drive Sales for Law Firms
Hannah Ajikawo, CEO and Founder of Revenue Funnel, explains how to
leverage technology to drive more sales and higher average contract values.
36 LegalTech, Pricing Pressure and Emerging Technologies
Lauren Watson talks us through the intrepid world of pricing, and how
law firms of all sizes can approach implementing legal service that works
for them.
INSIGHT
EDITORIAL
BOARD
19 Embracing Technology
Savvas Skordellis, Deloitte
21 Can We SustAIn It?
Mercy Chirau, Womble Bond Dickson
22 Collaborating On a Global Level
Claudio Palmeri, PEXA
23 Revolutionising the Legal Landscape
Natasha Lewis, Duncan Lewis and YAO
25 Top 5 benefits of choosing a cloud-based dictation system
Kathliya Harwood, Speech Processing Solutions
25 Professional Research VS DIY Attempts
Johnathan Upton, Estate Research
26 Minimising Our Environmental Footprint
Adrian Jaggard, Taylor Rose MW
27 The Core of Business Process Automation
Julia Salasky, Legl
27 How Important is it For Law Firms to Keep Up with New Innovative
Technology?
Alex Holt, The Cashroom
29 From Paper Checks to Digital Vigilance - The Importance of Digital
Compliance Technology
Martin Cheek, Smart Search
29 Adapting Human Input and Adopting Technology
Neville Dinshaw, Law Mergers & Acquisitions
31 Better Title Reports: The Power of Co-Existing with Technology in
Conveyancing
Bronwyn Townsend, InfoTrack
31 Celebrating and Fostering Life Changing Partnerships
Mark Holt, Frenkel Topping Group
AWARDS
ROUNDTABLE
TECH
INTERVIEWS
CONFERENCE
FORUM
10 MINS WITH
38 Modern Law Private Client Awards
Catch a glimpse of the award winners, the memorable moments, and
shenanigans of the night.
44 Personal Injury Roundtable
Emily Wade, Modern Law
55 A Chat with…Iceberg
Ethan French, Iceberg
57 A Chat with…Report Factory
Peter Ross, Report Factory
58 Bold Legal Summer Conference 2023
Catch the details of Modern Law’s day at the BLG Summer Conference
61 Conveyancing Forum
Emily Wade, Modern Law
66 Hannah Ford, Stevens & Bolton
Disclaimer: Our publications contain advertising material submitted by third parties. Each individual advertiser is solely responsible for the content of its advertising material. We accept
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EDITORIAL BOARD CONTRIBUTORS
SpeechLive
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4
5

INTERVIEWS
INTERVIEWS
Eric’s background is in music and
martial arts. He has worked at a
Mustang Ranch as a wrangler and
stallion trainer, holds a USCG masters
license as a sailing captain, and
advises as a futurist internationally.
He is a Global Futurist with the B&B
Innovation Futures Group, has a seat
on Bradford & Barthel LLP’s Board
of Directors as Chief Technology
Innovation Officer, and has served as
an advisor to companies and boards
across the US, UK, EU, Mid-East,
Asia-Pacific, South Asia, and
Oceania regions.
Eric expanded his focus within the
future of technology and human
behavior in his TEDx: ‘The Future of
Human Behavior’. His first book of
poetry, ‘Travels in Time’, was published
through Skye House Publishing in May
2022. His next book, ‘The Future of
Human Behavior’, along with his first
solo piano album, are due for release
in the Autumn of 2023.
As a futurist, how do you
incorporate an understanding
of human behaviour into your
predictions and analysis of the
legal landscape?
We’re in an era of perception-based
technology evolution. As a stroke
survivor, I often form parallels between
rebuilding sensory input that we often
take for granted, and placing this into a
context of an artificial intelligence neural
net build. As Nvidia recently disclosed at
the ISC Conference in Hamburg, while AI
was a key piece in building their neural
net within their digital twin modeling of
earth, they didn’t fully understand how
their AI actually built their neural net.
And yet, it worked.
While Nvidia discussed their reverse
engineering approach within this neural
net build in order to fully understand their
AI’s approach, we have yet to fully do the
same with the human brain.
In your opinion, what are some
key psychological factors that
influence human decisionmaking
in legal matters? How
can legal professionals leverage
this knowledge to better serve
their clients?
Focusing still on the human brain, there
is an incredible explosive time in learning
that takes place within human beings
from the ages of 0 to 5, 6 or 7 depending
on the research one references.
In addition to an incremental approach
in learning, there are explosive
understandings that take place in
language development and awareness.
If there’s a primary time to learn multiple
languages, it is currently during this
timeframe of brain evolution.
I’ll often state when speaking to
audiences, that we both shape and are
shaped by our reality.
Realising that our awareness within the
reality around us is constantly evolving,
while both ourselves and our reality are
evolving at the same time, is something
that is important for us to remember. We
often take certain perceptions for granted,
both within ourselves and in what we
interpret around us.
‘Litigation heavy practice areas rely on human
to human interaction.’
‘We’re in an era of perception-based technology
evolution. As a stroke survivor, I often form
parallels between rebuilding sensory input that
we often take for granted.’
As we learned during the pandemic, how
we perceive the world is often how we
shape the world.
Locked down for long periods of time
while experiencing the world through
two dimensional screens shaped our
perception during that time. Leaving
lockdown and experiencing full sensory
immersion outside, and in both new and
remembered environments, reshaped our
perceptions further. It’s a particular time in
history when we as humans the globe over
had nearly an entire globe experiencing
similar shifts in perception, in how we
view the world, and how our immediate
environmental reality shapes us.
This of course, translates to the workplace
and those we interact with, both in
their personal environments and in their
workplace environments. Now more
than ever, these environments have the
opportunity to merge.
In the legal world, particularly as the legal
industry and their clients begin to integrate
large language model and generative
AI into practice areas, practice specific
relationships and applications, it’s an
important element to remember.
How do you see human behaviour
changing in the context of
emerging technologies and their
impact on the legal system? Are
there any particular behavioural
shifts that you anticipate?
Behavioural shifts have already begun
to take place. The use cases for Large
Language Model AI have entered public
consciousness through Open AI Chat
GPT’s viral feats in the fall of 2022 and
continuing into 2023.
Understanding and awareness of practice
areas that are more prone to automation,
while leaning into practice areas that are
litigation heavy and rely heavily on human
interaction is a key evolution taking place.
As we begin to see more spatial
computing, augmented and virtual
reality integration take place in
depositions, court rooms, and for trial
evidence, new horizons open up for the
legal world.
What trends or developments
do you foresee in the legal
industry over the next decade?
AI, Spatial Compute (Augmented/Virtual
Reality) and Quantum Computing.
1. Let’s start with AI.
Large Language Model AI integration
by practice area is a key element already
underway. Though chip shortages in
GPU level supercompute builds have
created a temporary gap in technology
innovation specific to the legal industry,
investments and innovations are
currently underway. Currently, Large
Language Model AI requires scale and
the proper GPU configuration on the
supercompute side to train the AI from
incremental to exponential learning.
Essentially, beginning the correct
supercompute build at scale equals the
pathway to Large Language Model AI
exponential learning and development,
similar to how I described brain
development earlier.
Once trained however, it is important
to shift from as much data as possible
through the AI build to a more refined
approach relative to the desired focus
area required to reduce noise and
develop targeted accuracy.
While LexisNexis and others have already
moved forward in their Large Language
Model builds, many other technology
players within the Legal Industry have
yet to catch up, particularly with practice
specific builds.
It’s important to note, the correct
supercompute build specific to Large
Language Model AI can currently take
place in months. For an incorrect build
however, it will take years. Therefore,
the particular type of supercompute
build and structure to achieve scale
cannot be overlooked.
6
7

INTERVIEWS
INTERVIEWS
‘As we learned during the pandemic, how we perceive the world is often
how we shape the world.’
Once built however, the goal is delivery
to the end user on a single GPU.In
other words, once built, the goal is for
almost anyone, using almost any kind of
technological device, to access the AI build.’
Most accessing AI in it’s current form,
such as ChatGPT, do not necessarily
correlate the cost intensive work put in
behind the scenes that translates
into what is accessible through the
user interface.
2. Spatial Compute / Augmented
and Virtual Reality.
There is an incredible evolution taking
place in the spatial compute world, which
for the sake of this answer, let’s essentially
consider to be a virtual and augmented
overlay of reality. Apple’s spatial compute
release is a tangible representation
towards workplace evolution that we can
use for discussion.
When thinking of the future of work,
spatial compute really is at the top of
the list for workplace transformation.
How we see the world, how we interact
with the world, how we translate our
desires and actions, and how that digital
reality adapts to our desires, our actions
and those of organisations within the
workplace, are all under study and
development.
What’s truly needed towards evolution
in this space are sensory applications
beyond the visual plane. Sound, scent,
touch - a whole range of senses are
needed for this space to truly develop
and thrive, both in the workplace and as a
social consumer exploring future builds.
When speaking to audiences, I’ve
often stated that the term ‘Avatar’ is a
misnomer when applied to virtual reality
as it is currently constructed. What drew
audiences to the first ‘Avatar’ was in part
due to their empathy with the character
Jake Sully as paralyzed in waking reality,
and then able to walk, run, feel - leverage
all senses and experience those incredible
reawakened opportunities within a world
leveraging all of those senses.
Full sensory perception and immersion is
how we experience our reality. It’s how
experiencing a spatial compute digital
reality will be successful. It is evolutions in
AI that can get us there.
There are entire new symphonies to be
composed within an immersive digital reality
where AI can expand the range of the
human ear within an environment of musical
composition unavailable outside of it.
There is an entire visual range available,
beyond the level of human sight, where
AI driven Spatial Compute is able to
augment our visual range.
There is an entire sensory range of
scent and touch that we currently do
not understand, but other organisms
such as dogs, horses, whales, birds,
and so many other organisms above
and below the oceans can. These are
evolutions to be experienced.
With those horizons in mind, workplace
evolution as currently released by
Apple is really just the beginning of
the potential involved. The medical
horizons in these environments are
incredible, as are of course, the military
application potential.
The more we understand and can augment
the brain, the more these environments
can move forward and succeed.
3. Quantum Acceleration and
Quantum Computing
When speaking with audiences, I don’t
think it is yet fully realised by many in the
professional services world how Quantum
Acceleration is already a part of current
supercompute builds, or that case studied
review has already taken place across
multiple industries.
‘The ethical concerns
surrounding AI as it evolves
and the usage of spatial
computing are enormous.’
Not only is Quantum Acceleration
already underway as a part of
supercompute builds, of those using
Quantum Acceleration, over 90% of
those surveyed by Hyperion as of May
of 2023 reported they would continue
in their use case. Only a small fraction
reported disillusionment.
Dedicated Quantum Computing
has opened up in centers across
Europe with goals towards leveraged
European Quantum Infrastructure. The
opportunities in the field of Quantum
are enormous, particularly as investment
pivots from a plateauing Moore’s Law
to GPU driven AI builds at scale within
a supercomputing industry serving
industries and nations the globe over,
hungry for explosive growth avenues.
How can legal professionals
navigate and address
ethical dilemmas that arise
from the intersection of
human behaviour, emerging
technologies, and the
law? Are there any ethical
considerations that are unique
to this intersection?
The ethical concerns surrounding AI as it
evolves and the usage of spatial computing
are enormous. AI is only as good as the
data provided, and the practices used by
the current publicly accessible versions of
Large Language Model AI to mine creative
works, research works, and social media
without permission are already in the
process of litigation.
A key focus area in the actors and writers
strike underway in Hollywood is the
usage of AI creating scripts through
their past mining of previous creative
work without permission, as well as the
usage of AI to replicate the likeness, and
mannerisms of actors in look, voice and
movement. Essentially, the ability to
build a digital twin of individuals on the
screen is already underway and being
refined to an incredible degree, with AI
driven narratives mined from past work
by human writers moving forward in
projected new narratives.
When done with an actor’s or writer’s
permission, that is one thing. When
done without, as is currently virulently
underway, the ethical implications
and legal ramifications the globe over
are enormous.
The legal precedents to come are critically
needed to shape the avenues ahead.
As automation and machine
learning technologies continue to
advance, how do you think they
will affect the demand for certain
legal jobs? What skills or areas of
expertise do you think will become
more valuable in the future?
Litigation heavy practice areas rely on
human to human interaction, as well as the
relationship building required in navigating
the judicial system across multiple regions
and jurisdictions across the globe.
Spatial Compute, Augmented and
Virtual Reality along with the AI driving
development in these realms open up
entirely new practice areas in law, as case
precedent within these realms are only just
beginning down the litigation process.
With the rise of remote
work and digital platforms,
what are the implications
for the traditional law firm
structure and client-solicitor
relationships? How can legal
professionals leverage these
changes to their advantage?
There is enormous opportunity cost
realisation that has already taken
place throughout the pandemic in
remote work and digital platforms. As
we move forward, these opportunity
cost realisation opportunities are only
set to expand and continue for these
positioning themselves correctly.
What role do you believe
futurists play in shaping the
future of the legal industry?
How can they help guide
organisations and individuals
through the evolving landscape?
As a futurist, it’s my job to advise what’s
coming next across multiple global
industries while also understanding
there are global macro effects impacting
industries and nations the globe over.
Climate change, adaptation to climate
change, migration patterns based off
climate change, macroeconomic and
technological supply chain evolution from
the seas to earth’s orbit and beyond are
all moving forward.
Tensions in shipping and sea lanes,
whether in the Black Sea due to the War
in Ukraine or in the South China Sea
due to standoffs in interests between
China, Taiwan and the US, expanding
regional alliances, as well as competing
interests among global alliances involved
all impact business and industries the
globe over. As we learned from Covid,
disruptions in global shipping lead to
incredible impacts felt across the world.
A key focus of interest by both global
and regional players towards Taiwan of
course, are driven by Taiwan’s status
and reputation in chip production to
their global clients, including military
superpowers. As we’ve discussed in
this interview, the importance of chip
production for the supercompute builds
required in creating exponential learning
and growth in AI cannot be overstated.
While multiple regions across the world
(including the US) are in the midst of a
pivot involving massive capital towards
investigating, legislating, empowering
and implementing chip manufacturing
within their own shores, Taiwan’s
importance to advanced global chip
manufacturing is as of this interview, still
considered paramount.
There is a continuing focus, (and rightfully
so) on rare earth minerals and the role
they play in technology evolution and
climate adaptation strategy realisation.
But there is also an incredible realm of
opportunity for off earth realization of
these minerals and establishing new
supply chains. The groundwork is already
being laid to get there. The lanes of
opportunity in earth’s orbit and above are
already being utilised in continual satellite
and autonomous drone evolution. The
Artemis mission to the moon is due to
touch down next year involving NASA,
ESA, JAXA, CSA and others.
I’ll sometimes tell audiences I work with,
it’s time for the world to move past
trade routes from the 1500s and 1600s
and evolve into new horizons. For those
thinking focus in that direction is too
unrealistic, there are those that thought
the same towards trade exploration at sea
centuries ago.
Some of these concepts may seem far
afield. As a futurist, it’s my job to look at
what’s next. For most of these concepts
we’ve discussed, they’re not far afield.
The impacts are interconnected and
already being felt, and will continue
to be felt across industries around the
worls, including the legal industry.
It’s going to be an interesting decade.
Eric Hunter
Global Futurist, B&B Innovation Futures
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INTERVIEWS
INTERVIEWS
Innovation Through
Collaboration
Electra Japonas is the Founder and CEO of a TLB,
contract specialist company that partners with
customers to provide comprehensive contract
review support and takes contract functionality to
new heights through the transformative force of
legal design and operations. In March 2021, Electra
also co-founded oneNDA, a game-changing opensource,
collaborative initiative that has witnessed
extraordinary support. With over 1000 companies
formally adopting oneNDA as their go-to Non-
Disclosure Agreement (NDA) and more than 50,000
downloads, its impact is undeniable.
Before establishing TLB, Electra honed
her skills and knowledge over a decade
in prominent organisations, including the
European Space Agency, Disney, BAT,
and EY, where she played pivotal roles in
commercial legal and data protection. It
was during this time that she recognized
a crucial void in the market—an
opportunity to create a legal company
that embraced a holistic approach to
support, transcending the confines of
traditional law and contracts in particular.
TLB’s vision is to redefine the way
organisations perceive, utilise and glean
value from their contracts process by
infusing it with innovation, strategy,
technology and a deep understanding of
user experience.
oneNDA is a crowd-sourced, opensource
non-disclosure agreement
that has been created by the legal
community. And it’s entirely free to use.
oneNDA believes that if we all started
from the same NDA template, we would
save enormous amounts of time, money
and effort. No more battle of the forms
and no more negotiating terms that are
not market standard or add little-toknow
value. Businesses would be able to
get to the commercial deal quicker, and
lawyers would have more time to spend
on the more strategic work. Through
her innovative thinking, unwavering
determination, and commitment to a
more privacy-conscious future, Electra
Japonas continues to lead oneNDA
on its mission to empower individuals
and foster a safer and more secure and
collaborative digital landscape.
I sat down with Electra to talk about
a mantra of hers, ‘Innovation Through
Collaboration.’ This is something that is
at the core of oneNDA, and is something
Electra truly believes is the best way to
push the legal profession into the future,
and to ensure its survival.
How do you define “innovation
through collaboration” within
the legal profession, and why is
it important in today’s rapidly
evolving technological landscape?
‘Innovation through collaboration’
is a term we used heavily during the
oneNDA initiative. In fact, the Financial
Times awarded us for just that -
Innovation Through Collaboration.
What we created with oneNDA was
a crowd-sourced project with a load
of lawyers from all over the world
who wanted to create something that
was going to benefit them in their
profession and benefit their businesses
as a result. The way that I see the
legal profession is that we are still,
unfortunately, very siloed. You get
lawyers working in law firms that don’t
talk to other law firms and you get
in-house lawyers that don’t necessarily
talk to the rest of the business. I think
what happens as a result is that it’s
really difficult for you to get different
perspectives, it’s very difficult for you
to leverage things that other people
have come up with which might be
better ways of working. As a result we
are not collaborating as much as we
could. We are stifling our profession
to an extent. Look to the software
industry as an example of collaboration
from the outset. I appreciate it’s a
very different profession, but when
software developers realised software
was becoming a vital part of working
life, and they started coming across all
these difficult challenges, they decided
that they need to work together as a
community to solve those challenges.
So, you’ll get an Amazon developer
talking to a Google developer because
1) they don’t really care about the
competitive advantages over the
‘What we created with
oneNDA was a crowdsourced
project with a
load of lawyers from
all over the world
who wanted to create
something that was
going to benefit.’
other, or vice versa, they just want to
solve the problem. There is this focus
on the greater good of how to solve
these difficult things that other people
haven’t been able to solve. I think
lawyers take a different approach, in
fact the opposite, we hoard knowledge
and we hoard information because we
are capitalising on it. In order for us to
really see progress in our profession
we have to open the barriers and
we have to collaborate. oneNDA is a
great example of how we can create
something really transformative that
can absolutely change the way we
do something as simple but as time
consuming as NDAs, because we all
collaborated for that greater good.
10 11

INTERVIEWS
INTERVIEWS
‘Linkedin is a great way of showing those in
the legal profession that collaborating and
sharing knowledge leads to expansion and
growth, and serves to uplift the community
for the greater good.’
Can you share an example of
how collaboration among legal
professionals and technology
experts has resulted in innovative
solutions for complex legal
challenges?
I’m going to take oneNDA as the perfect
example for the legal industry lately,
because oneNDA was an amalgamation
of the legal community at large. We had
people from law firms, in house lawyers,
technology providers, and they all came
together to create oneNDA. When
oneNDA was created as a document,
the CLM providers took it and created
seamless digital automations with
oneNDA. Together there was this really
transformative piece that occurred, which
is ‘we are all going to collaborate to
create this template that we all agree is
good enough’ and then the technology
providers came along, took it, and
they went and digitised it so we can
seamlessly agree to NDAs. So, not only
have you standardised the way that you
do it but we can also help you digitise it
to really streamline the whole process.
Another great example is ISDA, who are
pulling together a team to figure out
what it is that people are agreeing to
over and above what’s in the standard
agreement and trying to codify it so
people are selecting options rather than
drafting from scratch, because drafting
from scratch is really difficult to keep
consistent. So, that is what ISDA is doing
and digitising that through the platform
that they are building so that people can
select it and derive data that they use
the most. We are seeing this marriage of
collaboration and technology as a layer
on top of that collaboration to really
supercharge what that collaboration did.
How can law firms and legal
departments encourage a culture
of collaboration and promote
the adoption of innovative
technologies among their legal
teams?
The first thing they need to do is work
on people’s mindsets. In the legal
industry we are very used to being
told, from when we are first trained as
lawyers, that you can’t be wrong, you
have to know all the answers, and that
if you get it wrong you are going to get
sued. You are going to lose your job, and
damage your reputation, and that is not
conducive to a culture of collaboration
and innovation. It encourages siloed
behaviour, and what happens when
you’re not comfortable asking questions
is that you don’t get those perspectives
that you need in order to enrich your
own perception. So, we need to work on
people’s mindsets and let them know
it’s okay for them to mess up, you don’t
have to get everything right 100% of
the time, and to fail only means you get
to try again. I think that is the number
one barrier to innovation in the legal
industry; the idea that we need to know
everything, and you have to be right first
time around.
Have you observed any specific
challenges or barriers to
collaboration when it comes to
integrating technology into the
legal profession, and how can these
obstacles be overcome?
Legal teams often feel they don’t have
the right to ask for more money to spend
on tech. Lawyers tend to struggle to
build a business case when it comes to
asking for tech they want to integrate
into their teams, but when they have
overcome that barrier, which is hard,
they are then met with an overwhelming
number of options. Having to choose
tech that meets the needs of a team is a
hard thing to decipher. From here there
needs to be a process of identifying
the needs of the team, prioritising
those needs, buying the suitable tech,
integrating the technology, monitoring
its impact and if it is being fully utilised.
Gathering this data is vital for a legal
team to be able to select the right
product that will be used in its entirety
and be worth the investment. Identifying
a need for technology is the first thing to
‘The way that I see the
legal profession is that
we are still, unfortunately,
very siloed.’
do, but challenging yourself on whether
you actually need that technology is
the second thing you need to do. If you
find you do need technology, what are
the requirements the new tech needs to
meet, and what you want it to achieve.
Another barrier can be training. Not
necessarily the practical side of training,
but encourage people to utilise what
is available, and make sure they are
in the mindset of ‘this is going to be
helpful and impactful.’ Getting people
to actively work with and confidently
collaborate with technology is going
to make sure that the investment is
worthwhile and has a positive impact.
I think Linkedin is the most prolific
tool when it comes to collaboration as
people are using it as a platform to get
together. You can see this happening
as online communities start to form. A
good example of this is the Legal Geek
Community. You see these communities
sharing information, ideas, and opinions
and by doing so they are continually
growing their reach. I use Linkedin
on a daily basis, and I use it to share
my thoughts and to gauge a response
so I can verify my thinking as well as
making sure that it is aligned with
the rest of the collective’s thinking.
When we were building oneNDA,
Linkedin was the platform that drove
the collaborative process. Linkedin is
a great way of showing those in the
legal profession that collaborating and
sharing knowledge leads to expansion
and growth, and serves to uplift the
community for the greater good.
Looking ahead, what do you
envision as the future of
innovation through collaboration
in the legal profession, and what
advice would you give to aspiring
lawyers in this regard?
I think that once the majority of the
workforce is Millennials and Gen Z the
way that communication is done will
be different. Millennials and Gen Z
are much more used to utilising tools
that allow instant communication and
fluidity. How we manage things on our
personal phones and communicate in
our personal lives, doesn’t feel cohesive
when we turn up to work and are then
expected to communicate in a way that
doesn’t feel as natural to us and doesn’t
seem to be as efficient as we are used
to. As the next generations become the
majority of the workforce, I believe they
will bring their way of communicating
with them. I also feel the Millennials and
Gen Z are much more confident in using
tools such as Linkedin to ask questions
and collaborate and as such the digital
world will become solidified in how legal
professions work.
Electra Japonas
is the Founder and CEO of a TLB
12 13

INTERVIEWS
INTERVIEWS
The Intersection of AI and Law -
Creating a Global AI Regulations
Tracker and Shaping the Future
of Legal Tech
“As someone who dabbles
in both AI and law, I felt I
was in a unique position to
contribute a public resource
that could broaden people’s
awareness of the various
regulatory approaches
around the world.”
Firstly, tell me a little bit about yourself, your
career so far, and what you have been working
on recently?
“My name is Ray, and I am a technology lawyer, programmer
and content creator from Sydney, Australia. As a tech lawyer, my
focus area is AI. I advise clients, both small and big, in relation
to legal and regulatory issues that apply to their AI product/
project. I love my job because AI has long been a huge passion
of mine. I’ve been building AI programs as a hobby (self-taught)
since high school. Even today, I still love to spend my spare
time building apps, and have released my own products to the
public, such as SyncTrainer, and Auxtract. Indeed, I have been
told that I have a unique skillset for a lawyer. I have been able
to leverage AI dev skills to help me deeply understand the
technical aspects of my clients’ AI projects, which in turn has
helped me deliver more effective and targeted legal advice for
them. I am also passionate about education, and love creating
content on LinkedIn, YouTube and TikTok about AI tech, market
and legal updates to help boost community awareness of AI.”
Can you tell me about what Global AI
Regulations Tracker is and what it does?
“My Global AI Regulation Tracker is an online interactive world map.
You can click on a region to view a quick summary of its current
approach and developments in AI regulation (including my personal
commentary and an archive of my LinkedIn posts relating to that
region). So far, my map covers Australia, Brazil, Canada, China,
the European Union, India, Indonesia, Japan, Saudi Arabia, South
Africa, South Korea, United Kingdom, and the USA. But more
regions are coming soon!”
“I have been told that I have a unique
skillset for a lawyer. I have been
able to leverage AI dev skills to help
me deeply understand the technical
aspects of my clients’ AI projects…”
What led you to create Global AI Regulations
Tracker? How did you identify a need for a
resource like this?
“As someone who dabbles in both AI and law, I felt I was in
a unique position to contribute a public resource that could
broaden people’s awareness of the various regulatory approaches
around the world. While there are other AI regulation trackers
available, I found many of them were either too informationheavy
or not very user-friendly, especially for non-legal
people. So, that’s why I have designed my tracker in the way that
it is; visual, free and easy to use. I have also posted my thoughts
on AI regulation across my various platforms for quite a while
now, and I felt now was the right time to build a personal hub
that could gather all my original content into one place.”
What are your hopes for the application of
Global AI Regulations Tracker, and how do you
hope to build this service?
“Within one week of its launch, my tracker was viewed over
100,000 times, and received overwhelming positive feedback
from the AI community. I would like to see that growth continue.
I also plan to continue adding more regions to my tracker as well
as potentially add extra premium features to get some kind of
subscription model going for professional and academic users. “
14 15

INTERVIEWS
INTERVIEWS
“I think the most important consideration is
knowing what is the actual problem you want to
solve, and to avoid adopting technology just for
the sake of it, and falling victim to “solutionism.””
What implications has AI had
on the legal industry so far
that you have witnessed?
“To be clear, AI technology as a whole is
not new, and has actually been around
for a long time. In fact, many e-discovery
and document review solutions of
today already leverage machine learning
algorithms. That said, what is currently
new and exciting is generative AI, are
large language models which have
been popularised by apps like ChatGPT.
Given that law predominantly works
around language, large language models
can be incredibly useful for summarising
documents and cases, producing first
drafts of emails, briefs, advices, and much
more. Such efficiency gains can allow
more time for the lawyer to focus on
more strategic or critical thinking work.
The biggest challenges to the adoption
of generative AI in law is the risk of
breaching confidentiality and privilege,
which are strict ethical obligations for
lawyers, especially if sensitive client data
is uploaded onto a third-party tool. It’s
also important that lawyers understand
that language models do not inherently
understand language in the same way
that humans do. Rather language models
statistically predict one word after another,
and the lawyer must always review the AI’s
output before acting on it.”
How important do you feel it
is for law firms to adopt new
innovative technology? How
are firms that are slower to
adopt new tech going to fair in
your opinion?
“I think it’s important for any business,
not just law firms, to be adaptable to
new technology. As I said earlier, using
AI can bring efficiency gains which can
build a competitive edge for a law firm
in the market. For firms that do not
immediately embrace AI, the market
might eventually pressure those firms to
leverage AI in order to reduce costs
and stay competitive. This could mean
changes to the traditional time-billing
model which currently ‘penalises’. This
is why I think the conversation around
pricing and billing is particularly relevant
to the conversation of AI in law.”
When law firms are adopting
new technology, such as AI,
into their work processes,
what are the most important
aspects that need to be
considered and why?
“I think the most important consideration
is knowing what is the actual problem
you want to solve, and to avoid adopting
technology just for the sake of it, and
falling victim to “solutionism”. In fact,
not everything has to be solved by AI, and
that some problems might even be solved
by cheaper and simpler non-AI solutions.
Assuming the firm does have a specific
problem to solve, then the firm would need
to consider factors such as the benefits and
cost of the technology, the training and
support required for the technology, and
the security of the technology.”
What regulations around
AI would you like to see be
implemented, and why?
“I look forward to seeing regulations that
address the ‘grey area’ issues surrounding
AI. Issues such as whether an AI generated
output infringes on the copyright of the
input the AI was trained on, and who
is responsible for an AI system when it
goes wrong. Whether these issues are
addressed by introducing a new law that
directly regulates AI, like the EU AI Bill, or
updating existing regulation to account
for AI-related scenarios doesn’t really
matter to me. As long as the regulatory
approach achieves a right balance between
protection and innovation, appropriately
reflects the economic and legal conditions
and values of the jurisdiction, and can
be complied by businesses in practice.”
When it comes to the
conversations being talked
about in the legal sector
surrounding technology,
what issue needs to be talked
about more and why?
“One issue to talk about would be how
technology will change the role of the
lawyer, and what can law firms do to
embrace that change. I think it’s important
that we talk about what tasks will be
automated, the types of new work/activities
“There’s a concept called
“Jevon’s paradox” which
states that, in the long
term, an increase in
efficiency in resource
use will generate an
increase in resource
consumption rather
than a decrease”
that technology will create for lawyers, and
the skills that future lawyers will need to
develop. Such conversation is particularly
relevant to the current generation of junior
lawyers and law students who may be
anxious or uncertain as to what the future
of law will hold for them. “
Lastly, what are your
predictions for the future
of legal tech?
“One rather contrarian prediction that I’d
like to share is that lawyers might actually
become busier in the future despite the
efficiency gains offered by technology.
There’s a concept called “Jevon’s
paradox” which states that, in the long
term, an increase in efficiency in resource
use will generate an increase in resource
consumption rather than a decrease.
“Such efficiency gains can allow more time
for the lawyer to focus on more strategic or
critical thinking work.”
In other words, while technologies like
AI, blockchain and smart contracts can
potentially make our jobs faster and
easier to do, especially in the high-volume
repetitious, they could also potentially
give rise to market expectations of even
faster and cheaper turnarounds. This
could mean greater volume of work for
lawyers in the long run. One analogy is
the transition from fax to email. Although
email provided faster and more efficient
communication than fax, it didn’t
necessarily decrease the workload of the
lawyer. In fact, as time has shown us,
lawyers are busier than ever. But is this a
bad thing? Of course not. As said before,
technology can automate the menial work
and let us focus more on the strategic,
creative, or critical-thinking tasks that are
generally more enjoyable and meaningful!
Raymond Sun
Herbert Smith Freehills
16 17

INSIGHT
Embracing Technology: Navigating the
Evolving Legal Landscape for Future Success
As the legal industry continues to evolve, law firms must fully embrace technology as a
fundamental driver of their future success.
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The Legal Industry is undergoing rapid
transformation, driven by emerging
technologies. The legal profession is
embracing innovation to adapt to the
changing legal landscape. By leveraging
technology, law firms can navigate these
challenges and seize new opportunities,
empowering them to thrive in the future.
Additionally, these technologies have the
potential to revolutionise the legal industry
by enabling lawyers to handle tasks more
efficiently and accurately, while also freeing
up valuable time for higher-value work.
Embracing Artificial Intelligence
(AI) and Automation:
Law firms can harness the power of AI and
automation to streamline legal processes.
AI-powered tools can analyse vast amounts
of legal data, extract insights, and support
informed decision-making. Automation
eliminates repetitive tasks, allowing
legal professionals to focus on complex
matters that require human expertise. By
embracing these technologies, law firms
enhance efficiency, accuracy, and client
service, gaining a competitive edge in the
evolving legal landscape.
Enhancing Client Engagement
through Digital Solutions:
Digital solutions provide law firms
with innovative ways to engage
and collaborate with clients. Client
portals, virtual meetings, and secure
communication platforms enable
seamless interaction, fostering
transparency and trust. Clients gain
real-time access to case updates,
documents, and billing information,
ensuring an enhanced client experience.
By leveraging digital tools, law firms can
build stronger relationships, improve
communication, and deliver personalised
services that meet client expectations in
an increasingly digital world.
Harnessing Data Analytics for
Informed Decision-Making:
Data analytics empowers law firms to
derive actionable insights from vast
volumes of legal information. By analysing
past cases, market trends, and client
data, law firms can make data-driven
decisions, anticipate risks, and provide
proactive legal advice. Data analytics also
enables firms to identify opportunities for
growth and optimise internal processes.
By embracing data-driven decisionmaking,
law firms can remain agile,
adapt to evolving client needs, and drive
innovation in an industry that thrives on
knowledge and strategic insights.
Ensuring Cybersecurity and
Data Protection:
As technology becomes integral to the
legal industry, law firms must prioritise
cybersecurity and data protection.
Implementing robust security measures
and adhering to privacy regulations
safeguard client data and maintain trust.
By investing in secure systems, encrypting
sensitive information, and promoting
cybersecurity awareness among staff, law
firms can mitigate the risks associated with
cyber threats and protect their clients’
confidentiality, integrity, and privacy.
Promoting Collaborative Tools for
Effective Teamwork:
Collaboration is vital in today’s
legal world. Law firms can leverage
collaborative tools, such as project
management platforms and cloud-based
document sharing, to facilitate seamless
communication and teamwork. These
tools break down geographical barriers
and enable lawyers to collaborate
efficiently on cases, supporting greater
productivity and knowledge sharing. By
promoting a collaborative culture, law
firms can harness the collective expertise
of their teams, deliver cohesive services,
and drive success in an increasingly
interconnected world.
Embracing Blockchain for
Secure Legal Transactions:
Blockchain technology holds
transformative potential for the legal
industry. By leveraging blockchain, law
firms can ensure secure and transparent
transactions, such as Smart Contracts
and IP protection. The immutable nature
of blockchain enhances trust, reduces
fraud, and streamlines complex legal
processes. As law firms explore blockchain
applications, they position themselves
at the forefront of innovation, offering
clients greater efficiency, security, and
confidence in their legal transactions.
As the legal industry continues to evolve,
law firms must fully embrace technology
as a fundamental driver of their future
success. By leveraging the power of
AI, automation, digital solutions, data
analytics, robust cybersecurity measures,
collaborative tools, and blockchain
applications, law firms can elevate their
capabilities, exceed client expectations,
and position themselves as leaders in the
ever-changing legal landscape. Embracing
technology is not just a necessity, it is
the key to thriving and flourishing in the
complex world of business law.
Savvas
Skordellis,
Legal Engineer,
Deloitte
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Can we sustAIn it?
The sustainability of legal tech has
become an emerging concern within
the legal industry. As the field of
legal technology continues to rapidly
advance, driven by innovation
and advanced language models, it
becomes imperative to prioritise
sustainability at the core of our
decision-making processes. Amidst
the exciting developments, it is
essential to explore key strategies
and collaborative initiatives that
can be implemented to foster
sustainability within the legal tech
industry. These strategies include
the establishment of regulatory
sandboxes, the promotion of ethical
innovation, and the commitment to
principled development.
Achieving sustainable growth within
the legal tech industry necessitates
finding the right balance between
innovation and regulatory compliance.
To this end, fostering collaborative
sandboxes presents a promising
solution. Regulatory bodies, law firms,
and legal operations professionals
can utilise these collaborative
platforms to experiment and develop
solutions within defined boundaries.
By embracing such collaborative
approaches, regulatory bodies can gain
valuable insights into the untapped
potential of legal tech, allowing for
the adjustment of existing regulations
and the creation of new frameworks
that effectively balance innovation and
consumer protection. A remarkable
example of success in this area is the
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)
Sandbox, launched in 2014, which
has accelerated time to market by an
impressive 40% over the years. More
recently, Law Tech UK has launched
their own regulatory sandbox, overseen
by the Regulatory Response Unit (RRU)
comprised of several UK regulators
including the FCA. This innovative
initiative provides an environment
for niche innovations to be tested,
refined, and scaled up for broader
market adoption and could be the key
to sustainability and a great case study.
Establishing and supporting governing
bodies capable of setting appropriate
scopes is crucial to facilitating these
collaborative efforts.
For the legal tech field to truly thrive
and succeed at working collaboratively,
it must place ethical and responsible
innovation at the forefront of its
development process. Integrating
ethical considerations throughout
the lifecycle of legal tech solutions is
vital. One critical aspect is promoting
diversity and inclusion within legal tech
teams. I so happened to graduate with
a law degree before branching out my
knowledge to technical development.
Now, as part of my steering role in our
DE+I network at WBD (aptly named
REACH), I am looking for sponsor
initiatives that directly influx the
number of individuals from minority
backgrounds exposed to fee earners
in the business as well as those
looking to gain experience with legal
technology. By fostering diverse teams,
we tap into a wealth of perspectives,
enabling us to build solutions that
cater to a broader range of users and
contexts. Additionally, addressing
potential biases in algorithms and
AI-powered solutions is of utmost
importance. Bias in these systems can
lead to unintended consequences and
perpetuate inequalities. By actively
working to identify and rectify biases
(in-house and with the technology we
develop), we can ensure that legal tech
solutions promote fairness, accuracy,
and transparency.
In summary, I believe placing ethical and
ecological principles at the forefront of
any development is not only imperative
but also essential for long-term viability
and positive societal impact. These
same ideologies are necessary for the
maximum potential to be derived from
collaborative spaces, in the legal tech
industry and beyond. For firms with
a global reach, fostering cross-border
collaboration across their various teams
will be instrumental in promoting
sustainability. Through harmonisation
and standardisation efforts, legal tech
companies and professionals alike can
streamline their operations, minimise
‘bottlenecking’, and drive sustainable
practices on a broader scale. This
collaboration can also contribute to
increased accessibility of legal services,
breaking down geographical barriers and
fostering greater inclusivity within the
legal operations industry. By embracing
more sustainable practices, the legal
tech field can align its goals with
those of larger industries and global
environmental initiatives. I for one, am
excited for the journey to come.
Mercy Chirau,
Technology
Solutions
Manager,
Womble Bond
Dickinson
Mark Quinn,
Consultant Solicitor

INSIGHT
INSIGHT
Collaboration on a global scale - how PEXA
harnesses technology to work better together
PEXA started its journey over
10 years ago with the goal
of transforming property
experiences for everyone. What
began as a small Australian start
up is now critical infrastructure
for Australia’s largest asset class
– residential property.
Following its success in Australia, PEXA
set its sights on the UK – with the
target of introducing a world first
digital solution for property that
would save consumers time, money
and ease the stress of buying or
selling their home.
The UK was a rational new market
to explore, given the likeness in land
title systems. PEXA recognised a gap
in the UK remortgaging market and
saw an opportunity to better leverage
digital technology to enhance the
efficiency, transparency, and speed
of property transactions, ultimately
driving a better experience for
consumers transacting property.
Expanding into a new market required
a local team to be recruited and set up
for success. This was the first time PEXA
expanded operations outside Australia,
and we needed to ensure our teams on
both sides of the globe were working
together effectively, supported by the
right technology.
As result of the pandemic, hybrid and
remote work have become the norm.
Businesses of all sizes are increasingly
working with employees across different
time zones, and this can amplify the
challenges facing organisations. While
global teams offer a range of benefits,
effective collaboration in a global context
requires time and effort. At PEXA, we
recognise that while our approach is
constantly evolving, we have found some
key learnings that work for our teams.
Clearly communicate goals and
expectations
Communication is essential at all levels,
especially when setting objectives,
expectations, and timelines. Working
with teams globally can lead to
miscommunication at times, particularly
regarding priorities and workloads –
after all, we can’t get in a room with a
whiteboard to resolve things how we once
were able. Fortunately, there are many
technology solutions available to facilitate
communication across every stage of the
project. Tools such as Slack and MS Teams
for instant messaging, fully-fledged
project management platforms like Trello
and Jira make it possible for teams to
collaborate effectively.
Embrace asynchronous work and
asynchronous decision making
When a business has distributed teams
there will always be people working at
different hours, and in different time
zones. Asynchronous collaboration
allows projects and deliverables to move
forward without the requirement for
team members to work very early in the
morning, or late at night. There are many
tools that support asynchronous work
including audio and video recordings
(our teams often record a quick update
message to their overseas colleagues
before logging off each evening) as well
as digital whiteboarding tools like Miro.
Additionally, we remind ourselves that
not all decisions require a meeting, some
business-critical decisions can be made
with an email or using instant messaging.
Establish a schedule that works for
the whole team
While asynchronous work is best for global
teams, there are times when meeting
in real time can add value or be more
efficient. Businesses need to think about
how employees can manage their days in
these circumstances so they’re not working
around the clock. This can be done by
implementing staggered start and finish
times or allowing employees to take extra
breaks during the day. We’ve agreed on
a framework of ‘golden hours’, where we
agree to collaborate during a time window
that works for everybody. Teams should
also avoid scheduling meetings without an
agenda and without a clear objective, it is
inefficient to have employees attending
an after-hours meeting with no concrete
actions or outcomes.
Strong cyber security culture
and awareness
Cyber security has always been critical
for businesses, however hybrid and
global teams have increased the number
of security risks. Some basic cyber
security awareness and hygiene can
go a long way to protect you and your
business. This includes ensuring your
operating system and antivirus software
is up to date and using long and complex
passwords to access business systems.
Where possible, use a password manager
and multi-factor authentication and
always be careful when an email has an
attachment, or a link embedded. Even
if the sender seems familiar, always
double-check before clicking on the
attachment or link. And remember that
security should never hinder people’s
productivity and global collaboration.
Make resources available to
all members
To ensure effective and efficient global
collaboration, it is important that all
team members have access to the
same resources to collaborate. It would
be futile to capture important project
details on a software application that
is only accessible by a handful of
people. Platforms like Confluence and
SharePoint are a great way to make sure
all team members are on the same page.
Build trust and create connections
Successful collaboration is reliant on
building a foundation of trust with our
teams. Recognising that before being
colleagues, we are all people with
different personal circumstances and
experiences. Ensuring that you take
time to get to know your team, their
interests, goals and challenges helps
to build a sense of connection while
being cognisant of different cultures.
Supporting diversity is key for effective
collaboration, especially when working
with global teams.
Whether you have one employee abroad,
a whole team, or another business entirely
– it can seem like a lot to think about and
manage. Establishing ways of working
globally was something we carefully
considered before taking the leap. While
the experience of consumers buying
and selling in the UK has some room for
improvement, the prospect of working
with the industry to help was something
we couldn’t pass up. The opportunity
to succeed in the UK market made
the challenges of standing up a global
operation seem small.
Claudio Palmeri,
Head of Application
Services, PEXA
Revolutionising
the Legal Tech Landscape
I started my own law firm from observing a significant gender disparity in female equity
partners when I was studying law. I decided to start my own law firm and become an
equity partner as I didn’t see many women like me when I started by career. Running
my own law firm can be very challenging and I encountered various challenges relating
to software solutions available in the market. The existing options were often expensive,
lacked customisation and failed to cater for our diverse needs of legal professionals. This
limitation hindered productivity and innovation within the legal industry.
Frustrated by the limitations of
existing software, I recognised an
opportunity to make a difference. I
decided to take matters into my own
hands and embark on a journey to
develop YAO, a legal tech platform
tailored specifically for lawyers.
YAO represents my commitment to
revolutionise the legal tech landscape
by addressing the shortcomings of
the existing solutions and providing a
platform that truly meets the needs of
legal professionals. The tech industry
is often dominated by Men however
I found that combining law with the
potential of technology I aimed not
only to establish a successful law firm
but also address the specific needs
of legal professionals through the
development of a legal tech platform.
A Platform for Lawyers, by Lawyers: YAO
stands out from the crowd because it
is built by lawyers who understand the
intricate requirements and workflows
of the legal profession. This firsthand
experience allows us to develop a
platform that is intuitive, user-friendly,
and aligned with the unique needs
of legal professionals. From case
management to document automation,
YAO provides a comprehensive suite of
tools that streamline legal processes,
enhance collaboration, and increase
productivity. Recognising that each
law firm operates differently, YAO
offers a high degree of customization
and flexibility. Our platform allows
legal professionals to tailor it to their
specific practice areas, workflows, and
preferences. By empowering lawyers
to personalize their experience, YAO
eliminates the need for generic and rigid
solutions that fail to cater to the diversity
of the legal industry.
YAO understands the financial
constraints that many law firms face.
We believe that technology should
not be a barrier to entry or hinder
the growth of legal professionals.
Therefore, we have designed YAO with
affordability and accessibility in mind.
Our flexible pricing structure ensures
that firms of all sizes can access and
leverage the power of YAO, empowering
them to compete in an increasingly
digitalised legal landscape.
Embracing Technology for Growth: By
embarking on the tech sector, YAO
represents a commitment to embrace
technology for the betterment of
the legal profession. We believe
that technology has the power to
revolutionise legal processes, improve
efficiency, and enable lawyers to
provide better services to their clients.
YAO empowers legal professionals
to stay ahead of the curve, adapt to
changing industry demands, and thrive
in an ever-evolving digital age.
By developing YAO, I aim to bridge the
gap between lawyers and technology,
providing an intuitive, customisable,
and affordable solution that empowers
legal professionals to streamline their
processes and excel in their practice.
YAO represents my commitment to
advancing the legal industry through
technology and serves as a catalyst for
positive change within the profession.
Together, we can embrace the digital
transformation and shape a brighter
future for legal professionals worldwide.
Natasha Lewis,
Managing Partner
& Founder,
Lewis Denley
& Yao.
22

EDITORIAL
BOARD
Top 5 benefits of choosing a
cloud-based dictation system
The world of dictation has seen
many changes, with the advent of
digital dictation solutions and the
availability of cloud-based dictation
systems; but why move to the cloud
for your dictation needs? Here are
the top 5 benefits:
1. Cost advantages
Moving to the cloud can deliver
immediate cost savings with predictable
charges and no capital investment
requirement. Another potential benefit,
particularly for small businesses, is that
when moving from a purchasing to a
hiring model, most related costs will cease
to be capital expenditure and will instead
become operating costs in the form of
regular fees to the service provider.
2. Increased efficiency
Cloud-based dictation software can
provide faster document turnaround,
since the original voice files can be sent
electronically to transcribers, and the
resultant documents can be shared simply
and quickly with the authors for editing or
approval, irrespective of their location.
3. Enhanced security
The cloud commonly offers greater
security and resilience measures than
those utilised by individual businesses.
Every single voice message can be
encrypted prior to transmission, whilst
cloud providers are commonly required to
ensure their storage solutions adhere to
ISO and/or other international standards.
4. Enhanced mobility
A wide variety of professionals need
access to “on-the-go” dictation
capabilities, for example a lawyer visiting
a client on site. Dictation apps allow
users to access a full version of the
software from a range of platforms,
including your iPhone, iPad, or
Android device.
5. Integration with other
cloud-based apps
Using cloud-based dictation provides
the opportunity to integrate digital
voice files with other cloud apps such as
workflow management and document
management. This, in turn, provides
several significant benefits such as
streamlining document processes and
providing a clear digital audit trail for
dictations and transcriptions.
If you are interested in exploring the
opportunities for a cloud-based digital
dictation solution, then as a first step you
should understand your business goals,
establish the potential cost benefits, and
consider the key features you will require
(including any integration requirements).
This will provide you with a sound basis for
identifying the most appropriate solution.
Kathliya Harwood
Marketing Manager, Speech.com#
Professional Research
VS DIY Attempts
The legal industry has seen huge
advancements in technology relating
to the daily work of professionals
including CRM, accountancy and
finance software - all designed
to increase efficiency. Indeed, we
have also seen the digitisation of
the HMCTS probate and Court of
Protection applications.
As probate genealogists supporting the
legal industry, we too have seen a huge
focus on technology and the digitisation
of records. When conducting research
to locate missing beneficiaries or trace
next of kin, the number of records that
we can access online at the click of a
button is astounding. We can find out
what regiments people were in on military
records; we can see what jobs people did
and we can read passenger lists of ships
traveling across continents. There are even
projects being undertaken to digitise the
text of every gravestone in the UK!
However, as helpful as these advancements
are in speeding up day to day work, we all
recognise that the technology is only ever
as good as the human input.
The main technological change for us
genealogists was the digitisation of the
births, deaths and marriage records in
2007. What was once a laborious and time
heavy job is now carried out much quicker.
That isn’t to say we too don’t have to be
conscious of the potential for human error.
Firstly, the original records going back
hundreds of years have the real potential
for information to be transcribed
incorrectly, e.g., a wrong date of birth or
a name misspelt. This means that when
the same information is mirrored and
transferred into a digital record, the same
mistakes are often carried over.
The act of digitising records adds further
potential for human error - often older
records cannot be easily read by digital
technology thus requiring somebody to
read and manually input the information
as a digital record. There will of course be
instances where archaic texts and unclear
handwriting could lead to misspellings,
or the wrong characters being added to
the new digital record – information that
is then picked up by genealogists and
research professionals such as the Estate
Research team. This means that although
this advancement in technology and
digitisation in our industry can make the
sourcing of documents quicker, it certainly
doesn’t rule out the potential of human
error infiltrating the records we are using.
This highlights the need for professional
research rather DIY attempts!
Johnathan Upton
Director, Esate Research
25

EDITORIAL
BOARD
EDITORIAL
BOARD
Minimising Our
Environmental Footprint
Julia Salasky
Founder and CEO,
LeglTech
Alex Holt
Director of Business
Development,
The Cashroom
In recent years, we have seen the
innovation of technology, as well as
the adaptation of working differently,
within the legal system. With the rise
of the digital world, technology has
quickly become a part of our daily
lives and with such an impact, how
can we make sure that we are saving
the planet in the process?
At Taylor Rose MW, we have
implemented changes to minimise our
environmental footprint.
Introducing a Digital Mailroom has not only
supported our vision of smart, modern law
but it’s also contributed to our journey to
paperless, and has created an effective,
agile working environment. Our personnel
have access to their postal correspondence
wherever they may be, allowing them to
work more efficiently, improving their service
to their clients. Extending from this, we have
partnered with Royal Mail to deliver a hybrid
mail solution. This is an efficient way of
sending hard copy post, allowing personnel
to use the integrated CMS systems to print
and send correspondence with Royal Mail
directly using the hybrid mail system instead
of a printer in the office.
We have also recently introduced ‘follow
me printing’ which allows our personnel to
log in to a printer and release their printing
when they are ready to print in house,
meaning no more abandoned prints and
less paper waste.
By utilising remote working technology,
we’ve enabled our personnel to work from
home, as well as introduced hot desking
to our offices. Since the pandemic, over
half of our personnel have started working
remotely from home, we’ve also seen a
decrease in the equipment that we use due
to introducing hot desking to the firm, all
of which minimise our carbon footprint.
We also work with suppliers who send our
electrical equipment for refurbishment
or recycling to reduce waste. We actively
encourage our remote working employees
to bring in any faulty equipment from
home to make sure all equipment is
disposed of correctly.
Our Marketing literature is readily available
in both digital format as well as print;
those printed are done so with suppliers
who work with carbon balancing initiatives
which work with the World Land Trust to
provide a more sustainable future.
By effectively implementing small changes
within the firm, they are creating a bigger
impact. We can see the effectiveness of how
technology can impact the environment in
a positive way and in the way we work more
consciously and sustainably.
Adrian Jaggard
CEO, Taylor Rose MW
The Core of Business
Process Automation
Every firm today is starting to grapple not only with
GenAI in the abstract, but in the future of law firm
operations and client services in particular. SaaS
applications -- from Microsoft to general business
workflow and project management tools like Notion --
long ago started incorporating machine learning or AI.
Over the coming months and years, GenAI can be part
of the technology stack of every SaaS application.
For this era of paradigmatic shift, though, that may herald less
profound change than some firms fear – at least not for now.
Rather, what we see is that this may be more a question of
considering the biggest problems that the firm and the firm’s
client’s face, and continuing to tackle those systematically,
using the best technology and human capital.
Operational processes, long under-looked or under-invested in
for many firms who have focused on delivering fantastic legal
services, may, ironically, be the easiest place to start. Ironic
because clients are demanding faster, cheaper legal services –
not better operations from their firms.
How important is it for
law firms to keep up
with new innovative
technology?
There’s a well-worn saying which I’ll paraphrase - if you
don’t adapt, you don’t just stand still, you go backwards.
Never a truer word, given the steady march of tech
advancement across the legal sector. There are new toys galore,
and not just technology aimed at law firms, but also the rise
of AI, and the influx of expertise from outside the legal world,
bringing world class business tech into play.
A good starting point is for firms to actually optimise and
properly utilise their practice management system. Far too many
have old and creaky systems which don’t give the resilience,
agility and security that more modern systems can provide.
However, even those firms who have traded up and obtained a
quality PMS often do not maximise the potential of the system
with proper implementation.
But the most memorable touchpoints clients – from individuals
to corporates – have with their firm are often the least high
value, from the point of view of the client and from the billable
time perspective of the firm. From requesting a cascade of
compliance information to requesting payment – these are the
touchpoints that cause friction and a bad client experience.
They are also touchpoints that slow down transactions, take fee
earner time and increase lock-up time.
At the same time, automating business processes can drive
better utilisation of fee earners, more profitability and better
risk decisions. Business process automation across key business
processes can lay the foundation for sustainable firm operations.
Technology is core to business process automation; and as
technology, like GenAI, becomes fundamental to the SaaS
applications that flexibly enable better process automation,
firms will benefit from the change in technology without
needing to adopt new tools.
Clients will continue to instruct law firms because firms have
the best human capital, provide the best risk mitigation, and
can provide the best client services. As technology improves,
firms need only continue to focus on the processes they want
to improve, and the problems they want to solve – and the
technology now exists to spoil them for choice.
Far too many firms continue to use vulnerable email to
communicate within the firm and with their clients. In these
days of increasing cyber threat, that really must be viewed as
a negligent approach. At Cashroom we developed a secure
communication portal to engage with our clients, removing risk
and creating significant efficiencies with the movement of data.
Our clients effectively piggyback on our technological advances
– in effect they outsourced the problem of tech knowledge in
the finance function area of their business.
For law firms trying to keep up with tech advances, the crucial
question should always be “Am I providing the best possible
service to my clients?” and the answer to that question can only
be properly given by someone who is keeping abreast of what
tools are available.
Communication and responsiveness are the biggest pitfalls
– the things that most often bring criticism from clients. In
the drive for 5-star reviews, one of the quickest ways to lose
stars is to fail in that area. As a judge for two of the most
prestigious legal awards, (British Conveyancing Awards, and
British Wills and Probate Awards) I see many submissions which
extol the virtues of innovation and the optimal use of tech, in
particular as it relates to interaction with clients. Happy clients
make for happier staff and repeat business as well as powerful
testimonials and reviews.
‘Automating business processes can
drive better utilisation.’
For the avoidance of doubt, I’m not suggesting firms should
throw caution to the wind and go for every shiny new gadget
in town. What I am saying is that every firm needs to keep
themselves informed about tech innovation, because they can
be sure their potential clients and competitors will be doing.
27

FREE
Expert Training for Expert Practitioners
from Frenkel Topping knowledge Hub
EDITORIAL
BOARD
From paper checks to digital
vigilance - The importance of
digital compliance technology
The knowledge Hub – from Frenkel Topping Training academy
delivers FREE virtual and face-to-face training to our professional
clients - helping you stay up to speed and informed.
Courses available from knowledge Hub.
1 2 3
4
Avoiding
Professional
Negligence
Application
of Periodical
Payment Orders
Understanding
Pension Loss
Trusts for
Minors
Welfare
Benefits
5 6 7
8
Investing for
Vulnerable
Clients
Personal
Injury
Trusts
Loss of Earnings
Self Employed
Claimants
With over 30 years’ experience of delivering financial expert reports and advice,
find out how Frenkel Topping knowledge Hub could help you.
contactus@frenkeltopping.co.uk or call 0161 886 8000
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frenkel
topping
GROUP
“The most dangerous phrase in the
English language is ‘we’ve always
done it this way.’” – Rear Admiral
Grace Hopper.
The legal profession, much like any other
regulated industry, faces mounting pressures
and regulatory demands. Underestimating
the importance of compliance not
only exposes law firms to financial and
reputational costs but also puts them at risk
of anti-money laundering (AML) breaches.
It is critical that law firms protect
themselves with an AML solution that
leverages cutting-edge digital compliance
technology - especially those relying on
traditional paper checks because ‘we’ve
always done it this way’.
In a recent survey conducted by my firm,
SmartSearch, we found that nearly half of the
decision-makers (44 per cent) at regulated
firms reported a rise in criminals attempting
to launder money or commit financial crime
through their firms over the past year. The
complexity of ever-changing rules and
regulations makes it challenging for legal
professionals to stay ahead, especially those
relying on these traditional paper checks.
Money laundering poses significant
risks to firms and the integrity of our
financial systems. Criminal gangs employ
increasingly sophisticated techniques to
disguise the origins of illegal funds, making
detection and prevention a challenging
task without digital innovation.
As a result, Electronic Verification (EV)
plays a vital role in compliance processing
for law firms. From verifying client
identities during onboarding to sanction
list checking and monitoring, EV provides
a risk-free way to conduct thorough
due diligence. In fact, the 2020 Money
Laundering and Terrorist Finance Act
recommends the use of EV as part of the
due diligence process for regulated firms.
In addition to sanction checks,
SmartSearch is able to screen for Politically
Exposed Persons (PEP), Special Interest
Persons (SIP), Ultimate Beneficial Owners
(UBO), and Relatives & Close Associates
(RCA) in mere seconds.
Complacency on compliance is a costly
mistake that any regulated firm simply
cannot afford to make. In today’s challenging
compliance environment, investing in a
process that strengthens a firm’s risk of noncompliance
is not just wise but essential.
Keeping up with digital compliance is
vital considering the increased focus of
governments and regulatory bodies on
preventing fraud and money laundering.
By prioritising digital compliance, law firms
demonstrate their commitment to integrity,
inspire trust among stakeholders, and
protect their firm’s reputation.
For more information please visit: www.
smartsearch.com.
Martin Cheek
COO, SmartSearch
Adapting Human Input and
Adopting Technology
As AI continues to advance and
automation transforms workflows,
law firms face the challenge of
adapting employee and fee earner
roles. While technology can
streamline processes and improve
efficiency, it is unlikely to replace
the need for human professional
interaction entirely. In the coming
years, the role of legal professionals
is likely to evolve and focus on
areas where their unique skills and
expertise are most valuable.
One significant shift will see a move towards
higher-level tasks that require critical
thinking, judgment, and creativity. As
routine and repetitive tasks are automated,
fee earners will have more time to dedicate
to complex legal analysis and strategic
planning. In addition, legal professionals
will play a crucial role in understanding
and overseeing AI systems by ensuring
algorithms and technologies used in their
firms are accurate, fair, and comply with
legal and ethical standards. This includes
addressing issues of bias, privacy, and
security. Firms will be responsible for
assessing the risks and benefits of adopting
AI technologies and making informed
decisions regarding their implementation.
Arguably, the sector will need to play an
instrumental role in the development and
implementation of AI tools specific to
the legal industry, working closely with
technology experts and data scientists
to design AI systems that can assist with
legal research, document review, contract
analysis, and other legal tasks.
As AI becomes more prevalent in the
legal profession, the sector will need
to keep their skills and knowledge up
to date by staying informed about the
latest advancements in AI and related
legal regulations in order to adapt
to the changing landscape. Lifelong
learning and professional development
programs will play a crucial role in
ensuring that legal professionals remain
competitive and capable of leveraging AI
technologies effectively.
In essence, while AI and automation are
likely to transform the legal industry, they
will not render legal professionals obsolete.
Instead, fee earners will need to adapt and
focus on higher-level tasks that require
their expertise, critical thinking, and ethical
judgment. Fundamentally, the sector will
need to embrace technology and use it as
a tool to enhance its capabilities, rather
than totally replacing its contributions to
the practice of law.
Neville Dinshaw
Managing Director, Law Mergers
& Acquisitions
29

EDITORIAL
BOARD
Bronwyn Townsend
Senior Marketing Manager,
InfoTrack
Mark Holt
COO,
Frenkel Topping Group
It all starts
with eCOS
Effective client onboarding is critical
to starting strong relationships and
ensuring that you meet your KYC
and AML requirements.
Source
of Funds
One-click
AML
Info
Gathering
eCOS
Digital ID
Checks
eCOS is one simple platform that includes matter-specific client
questionnaires, digital ID and AML checks, and Source of Funds and
Wealth information gathering. It does all the hard work for you and gives
your clients one seamless experience.
More convenient onboarding, better information, improved compliance…
It all starts with eCOS.
Better Title Reports:
The power of co-existing
with technology in
conveyancing
The industrial revolution was named as such because of
the impact it had on productivity. A change that increased
output and delivery transformed how people worked. A
century later, Henry Ford popularised the 40-hour work
week after concluding that working longer hours resulted
in minimal productivity gains beyond that point.
Another 100 years on, and we’re turning to the latest
advancements in technology to once again productivity hack our
way to greater efficiency. But that has led to many questioning
the relationship between automation and human input.
As the conveyancing sector continues the adoption of
technology, understanding where digitisation can best
support you is essential. The relationship between humans
and machines is symbiotic. Benefits arise when the value of
automation is understood and used with intent. The intent
being to free up conveyancers from the administrative burden
typically associated with the conveyancing process.
Take title reports for example – they require analysis of data
from searches and other property specific information to create
a detailed report for the home buyer. It’s a time-consuming
process that involves both process and knowledge. And this is
where technology – particularly automation – relieves some of
that burden.
It’s true that creating a title report is a crucial part of the
conveyancing process and a skill that requires expertise. But using
automation in the process saves time, without undercutting the
value of your professional wisdom. How? By taking the data you
already have from searches, title, and transaction information and
pulling that through to populate your report, you automatically
save the time of manually sifting through.
Technology also has the power to flag any risks or hazards,
bringing your attention to it quickly so you can review. From here,
your expertise takes over and you can apply that knowledge to
finetuning the information in the final report. At the end of the
day, technology is there to save you time in the collation process,
so you have more time to apply your expertise to finessing the
final product and managing your client relationships.
Celebrating and
Fostering Life Changing
Partnerships
Supporting people in an ever-changing world is
something that we at Frenkel Topping strive to do every
day, and in everything we do. We are always looking
for opportunities to reach more people who need our
expertise, in hopes of making a better tomorrow.
An exciting new opportunity has just come to fruition for us
and I’m delighted to announce that Cardinal Management
Limited (“Cardinal”), whom Frenkel Topping acquired in 2022,
has agreed two new partnerships with major trauma centres,
John Radcliffe Hospital, run by Oxford University Hospitals NHS
Foundation Trust, and Alder Hey Childrens Hospital who form
part of the Cheshire and Mersey Trauma Network. This takes the
total number of major trauma centres to ten, including two new
sites in the first half of 2023.
Acquiring Cardinal enabled our group to provide a clear and
direct link to claimants and their professional representatives,
at the earliest stage possible after serious injury or illness.
Over the last seven years the Major Trauma Signposting
Partnership delivered by Cardinal, has helped more than 8,000
patients at NHS Major Trauma Centres. We are pleased that
Cardinal have added these Major Trauma Centre’s to that
network, enabling the complex welfare support to reach a
greater number of patients.
We have loved overseeing is the performance of Cardinal and
their continued momentum in winning new trauma centres.
These new partnerships are testament to the hard work and
dedication from Andrew and his team at Cardinal. With such a
rigorous due diligence process, this achievement demonstrates
our team’s expertise and capabilities and showcases the
strength of our business. I would like to recognise the
contributions made by each member involved in this success.
This expansion also gives further opportunity for the Frenkel
Topping Charitable Foundation to extend its Bedside Assistance
Fund to the Major Trauma Team at both of these sites.
Empowering the team this fund gives them the opportunity to
pay for the small but vital items that can make a big difference
to patients immediately after traumatic injury such as clothing,
phone credit or taxi fares for loved ones.
Find out more:
sales@infotrack.co.uk
0207 186 8090
www.infotrack.co.uk
The outcome is the ability to serve consistent, accurate, and
reliable reports in a fraction of the time, without cutting
corners. It’s important to remember that the relationship
between technology and humans is not for one to replace the
other, but instead to work together. Don’t be afraid to embrace
the opportunities that automation presents; you might just
learn to love it.
31

FEATURE
FEATURE
From Memes to Hashtags:
Why Lawyers Should Be
Embracing Social Media
‘What happens when a lawyer decides to embrace social media as a
marketing tool? And what might happen if a lawyer dedicates time to
engaging with social media channels, especially LinkedIn, to achieve
their marketing and business development goals?’
If I had a pound for every time I’ve
watched lawyers visibly recoil when
I’ve suggested using social media as a
marketing tool and way to connect with
their clients, I’d be writing this from the
deck of my yacht. A scenario that I’m
sure many legal marketers can resonate
with only too well.
“No, no, no, social media is all about
sharing holiday snaps or what I’m having
for lunch isn’t it? I’m not doing that!” they
cry, or “Hashtags? You must be #joking!”
they exclaim.
But what happens when a lawyer decides
to embrace social media as a marketing
tool? And what might happen if a lawyer
dedicates time to engaging with social
media channels, especially LinkedIn, to
achieve their marketing and business
development goals?
While they might not become an
overnight online sensation and start giving
the Kardashians a run for their money in
terms of content production, they might
just start seeing some positive results to
their reputation in the marketplace and
their new client prospects.
So, what are four key benefits of using
social media for legal marketing, and why
should lawyers embrace it?
Let’s dive in…
1. A place to form
connections and
raise awareness
Social media, and especially LinkedIn,
is primed and ready with a pool of
prospective clients; all you need to do is
dive in! It’s all well and good having access
to a killer CRM system and an overflowing
list of subscribers to your newsletter, but
what about those people who haven’t
heard of you yet? Enter: SOCIAL MEDIA!
One of the best things about posting on
LinkedIn is that people don’t need to be
connected to you to see your content,
they only need be connected to someone
else who’s engaged with your post.
This not only expands the reach of your
content, but it exposes you to potential
leads who might want to connect with you
to see more of your content.
If you embrace social media and start to
regularly post and engage to demonstrate
your knowledge, skills and experience,
you will not only raise awareness about
your practice, but engaging with social
channels offers a fantastic way to keep in
the loop with your referral network, and
nurture those all-important new referral
sources. Connect with people operating
in your niche, search for relevant content
and drop a comment to get your presence
known and show your network how you’re
their go-to person next time they’re
looking to refer work to a lawyer.
‘Social media, and especially
LinkedIn, is primed and ready
with a pool of prospective clients;
all you need to do is dive in!’
2. An opportunity to
build your reputation
as an authentic
thought-leader
Here’s your opportunity to stamp down
your digital footprint, stand out from the
crowd and let your unique voice shine
through – embrace it! If people turn to
search engines to look for a lawyer when
they’re in need, you can bet that they’re
also checking out your creds and activity
on social media before committing to
working with you. Social channels allow
you to humanise yourself and gain trust
whilst also demonstrating your expertise.
Mix in some personal content amongst
all the legal tips to show potential clients
you’re just another human being (and can
even be quite fun to work with)!
Using online platforms consistently also
means engaging with an audience who
may not need a lawyer now, but who
might do in the future. And who are they
more likely to reach out to when that
time arises? The lawyer they don’t know
anything about? Or you, the one they feel
they already know from popping up on
their feed and who they’ve come to value
as consistently demonstrating your legal
skills and up-to-the-minute knowledge?!
And let’s not forget your current clients.
Are you sure they know all the areas
you specialise in? Maybe you’re well
established in the world of litigation, but
a secret weapon when it comes to IP? Use
social media to let the world know. Don’t
let a marketing opportunity pass you by to
get work from clients in other areas of law.
Stand out from the crowd, help people
feel connected to you and become the goto
nook in your corner of the internet for
relevant knowledge and friendly tips.
3. It’s a modernday
billboard
A big benefit of incorporating social
media into your day-to-day marketing
efforts is that posts on these channels
act as a modern (and free) version of out
of home advertising. Posting on social
media provides an easy and subtle form
of top of the funnel marketing to expose
potential clients to your expertise. You
can use social media to start multi-way
conversations in a way you never could
with a newspaper ad to get people talking
and thinking about you. And even better,
you can even see how many times your
efforts have been seen by people by
tracking those post impressions.
New clients are then funnelled directly to
you, primed and ready for your help with
their legal problems because they already
know you’re the person for the job, and
trust that you can do it.
And hey, if your clients see you’re an active
user they may even publicly thank you for
that great work you did on finalising their
latest settlement – hello free publicity…!
4. Drive traffic back
to your website and
boost that SEO
Google likes it when you’re active on social
media. If you’re sharing thought leadership
or exciting news that’s posted to your
firm or personal website on to your social
channels, it helps Google recognise you
as an authority in your industry. This will
ultimately help you to get better search
result rankings. Remember to share your
own original posts and not just hit that easy
repost button, you want the platform to see
you providing engaging, original content
and showing off your own voice.
‘Stand out from
the crowd, help
people feel
connected to
you and become
the go-to nook
in your corner
of the internet
for relevant
knowledge and
friendly tips.’
So, there you have it, four reasons
why using social media provides
an excellent avenue to boost your
legal marketing and business
development efforts.
But I won’t sugar coat it, establishing
yourself on social media is an ongoing
effort. It takes time and you have to be
willing to put in the work. But it’s worth it.
Establish a posting cadence that works for
you and if you haven’t got time for a post,
try to leave a comment on relevant news
to remind people you’re there! All it can
take is a 10-minute push each day when
you’re probably already on your phone
scrolling through the latest memes!
Looking for something better to do while
you wait in line for that third flat white of
the day? Get on LinkedIn and see if you
have some value to add or congratulate a
client on their latest big deal win.
Trying to avoid eye contact with someone
on the train? Open up those socials and
give your network your take on that latest
legislation update or let a connection
know what you thought of their latest
piece of content.
Building your brand while getting noticed
for your legal prowess in a space where
your current clients and new prospects are
already hanging out – what’s not to like?
#TimeToGetStarted
Charlotte Lord
Specialist Legal Marketeer.
32 33

FEATURE
FEATURE
Leveraging Technology
to Drive Sales for
Law Firms
The legal industry is experiencing a surge
in technological advancements, with the
global legal tech market projected to
reach a value of US$69.7 billion, growing
at a CAGR of 8.9% according to Future
Market Insights. Despite its reputation for
lagging in technology adoption, the legal
sector has recognized the importance of
digital transformation, accelerated by
the COVID-19 pandemic. This article aims
to explore how lawyers working in law
firms can harness technology to discover
new business opportunities, proactively
reach out to target audiences, and
enhance deal values.
When we think of legal tech, we often envision e-discovery
tools, case management systems, document storage, and other
tools that streamline legal processes. However, the focus has
predominantly been on operational efficiency and compliance
rather than tools that aid in identifying new revenue. If we think
about it, legal technology has primarily served as a means to
improve existing workflows.
You don’t have to watch Suits to know that historically, and
even until today, the majority of the revenue that comes into
law firms happens through leveraging existing relationships.
Existing clients remain a source of repeat business, and the
best lawyers seek out upselling opportunities to continue to
grow their book of business. However, law firms are increasingly
creating strategic partnerships, driving thought leadership, and
focusing on their digital presence to showcase expertise. Highprofile
cases create intrigue, which firms get the opportunity
to monopolise on - if they’re on the right side of the win - and
then it’s business as usual.
While client trust and competence remain critical, buyers,
especially sophisticated buyers in procurement departments, have
become more discerning. They’re bored. This is where technology
can play a role in the early stages of the buyer journey, helping
law firms distinguish themselves as the most credible and
experienced partner in the eyes of the organisations they are
uniquely positioned to support. The technology landscape is vast,
and it’s time for law firms to jump on board.
To effectively leverage technology for sales, law firms need to
broaden their perspective and consider tools that go beyond
process optimization. This includes embracing SaaS tools that
enable proactive research of target audiences, facilitate outreach
to ideal customer profiles, and utilise automation and AI to
improve deal values. Before any of this can happen, we have
to consider the typical buyer journey. There are tools available
for all areas of this journey, and for context, think about the
journey a company will go through to build or refine their panel
or selection of firms to work with.
The Buyer Journey
Prospective buyers typically become aware of an issue, challenge,
or opportunity and then assess different ways to address it.
From here they make a decision on which direction to take, and
then make the necessary investment. Lawyers can influence this
decision-making process at each stage by providing valuable
insights and guidance through personalised content, thought
leadership, and targeted marketing campaigns. The key here is to
ensure that the tools and processes are in place to identify where
a Prospective Buyer may be in their journey. Coupling intent data
with human interpretation can make this an easy process.
Tools that can help: Demandbase
Proactive Research of Target Audiences
Oftentimes Law Firms become known for their expertise in a
particular area of law. Switching gears to be more data-driven,
put’s lawyers in the driving seat. Instead of waiting to be
considered on a panel, firms can drive change based on data,
insights and trends. Data-driven research tools provide lawyers
with the ability to identify potential clients who may require
legal services in specific areas. A great customer engagement
process will allow lawyers to gain valuable insights into potential
clients’ financial makeup, industries, trends, challenges, and
opportunities. This proactive approach enhances the likelihood
of converting leads into clients and fosters a reputation for being
proactive and client-centred. Firms can niche down on targeting
organisations who have a higher propensity for their expertise.
This helps optimise business development resources by focusing
on areas that Firms are uniquely positioned to solve for. This
knowledge allows them to demonstrate a deep domain expertise
and help surface latent issues, challenges and opportunities.
Tools that can help: Orbis, by Bureau van Dijk - Moody’s
Analytics Company
‘‘To effectively leverage technology
for sales, law firms need tobroaden
their perspective and consider tools
that go beyond process optimization.’’
Proactive Outreach to Corporate Companies:
Most firms will have a CRM in place. While this provides a central
source of truth, it can also act as the hub for interconnected
applications that allow firms to take known data, add 3rd party data
sources, and then use this for outbound communications. Technology
can empower lawyers to reach out to corporate companies and
engage with potential clients early in their journey. Sales engagement
tools that allow for automated sequential and customised messaging
and touchpoints, can help firms to stay top of mind. It is a way to help
translate marketing messages into 1:1 messaging between a Lawyer
and an internal legal department at a Corporate entity.
By leveraging these systems, lawyers can engage in personalised
and timely follow-ups, which are critical in building and maintaining
strong relationships with corporate clients. The proactive nature of
this outreach helps to position the law firm as a trusted advisor and
increases the likelihood of winning new business.
Tools that can help:
Salesloft - revenue team automation tool
Apollo.io - reach every buyer on earth
Hubspot - sales and marketing tool
Hannah Ajikawo is a Mum, Go-To-Market Strategy
Consultant and experienced sales leader. She recently
led the EMEA business at Skaled, building out global
onboarding, training and enablement programs for high
growth organisations. She advocates for diversity in sales
through her role at Sistas in Sales, and has developed a
habit of airing her views and perspectives on B2B sales
today. This has led her to be voted a Linkedin Top Voice,
a Sales Influencer to watch as recommended by Builtin,
and 1 of 100 Most Powerful Women in Sales, as voted by
Demandbase. She says, “I am obsessed with rethinking
ways we can continuously deliver value to our customers.”
Automation and AI
Large language models (LLMs) and the advent of Open AI’s
ChatGPT has shown how human-driven innovation can be
supercharged by artificial intelligence and machine learning.
Today, we are already seeing how this technology is positively
impacting legal activities around research, advancing arguments
and drafting - with some questionable accuracy at times!
For sales, lawyers now have the opportunity to leverage AI to
interpret verbal client interactions, load these interpretations directly
into CRMs, provide summary notes and create the following. Further
programming can even help anticipate what the next best action
would look like. Done correctly, this opens the doors to the same
type of operational efficiencies that legal tech has evolved to create
over the last decade plus. It also gives lawyers a larger data pool of
real customer insights that can be used for predictive analytics.
The closer lawyers get to understanding the buying journey of the
companies that they are best positioned to bring value to, the more
likely they are to request premiums. Buyers pay for certainty.
Tools that can help: Winn.ai
Ambitious, tech-first Law firms have a unique opportunity to
leverage technology to drive more sales and higher average
contract values. By embracing the vast amount of available SaaS
tools, lawyers can recognise where a Prospective Buyer may be in
their buying journey, work to support and serve them what they
need at that stage, and drive inherent value through relationship
execution. Remember customer value is about worth, and worth
is subjective. Lawyers can gain more authority, trust and attention
when they are seen to truly understand their Prospective Buyer’s
and what is important to them.
While technology can really be a game changer for new revenue,
it is crucial to remember that technology should complement, not
replace, the human expertise and personal touch that clients expect
from legal professionals. By harnessing the power of technology
effectively, law firms can enhance their sales efforts, expand their
client base, and remain competitive in the ever-evolving legal
landscape. With the right technological tools and strategies, lawyers
can position themselves as trusted advisors, deliver exceptional
client experiences, and drive revenue growth for their law firms.
Need help?
At Revenue Funnel, we work with technology and
service-based organisation to increase average
contract values and win rates, by improving their
ability to align with their Prospective Buyers journey.
Hannah Ajikawo
CEO & Founder,
Revenue Funnel
34
35

FEATURE
FEATURE
LegalTech,
Pricing Pressure
and Emerging
Technologies
“There’s a lot of scope to use technology
to automate the time-consuming tasks
which cannot be billed to the client
(typically “business of law” legaltech)”
We’re in a difficult economic period with high rates
of inflation and ongoing uncertainty. Law firms are
experiencing challenges with increasing operational
overheads from office space to utilities to wage pressure.
Most law firms are rumoured to be increasing their hourly
rates this year (and indeed a lot already have), and that
makes sense given the overall market conditions. We’ve
also learned of legal technology companies implementing
modest price increases too on account of inflationary
pressures. It’s something that we’re seeing across the
board from our food shopping baskets to our WiFi costs.
In many ways, the legal services sector is
much more sheltered than the rest of the
professional services market with greater
counter-cyclical workstreams, and the
fact that there is a huge volume of unmet
demand in the legal services market. And
we’re in a unique period in the history
of legal services, with unprecedented
technological advances made by law firms
during the covid pandemic, and now
emerging technologies like generative AI
which could have a huge impact on the
legal services market given it’s particular
advantages when handling large volumes
of text data (the legal profession is
somewhat unparalleled in that regard).
At the UKLTA, we strongly believe that
technology can level the playing field
in many respects for the small and midmarket
law firms in the UK. By more
effectively and efficiently managing
operational expenditure, having the
ability to be quick and nimble when it
comes to the implementation of new
technologies, the SME law firms in many
ways have a lot of advantages, even
though budgets and resources are more
constrained than the bigger firms.
As our membership is a blend of law firms,
legaltech companies, consultants to the legal
industry and academics, so we are lucky
to have a truly wide range of perspectives.
And we can see that there is a huge amount
of truly affordable, and reliable technology
available to law firms that can transform
business operations and the practice of law.
A lot of our member suppliers provide pricing
models that scale with usage (so there’s an
opportunity to truly understand the financial
impact of a particular piece of technology,
and the likely return on investment before
making a significant commitment), and
we’re aware of many legaltech companies
who will offer law firms free and paid trials,
opportunities to trial a proof of concept, and
other innovative ways of enabling law firms
to experience the benefit of the technology
first hand.
Broadly speaking, our legal technology
members at the UKLTA will fall into one of
two groups:
• Those who provide technology that
supports the business of law (i.e.
the business operations of running
a law firm)
• Those who provide technology that
supports the practice of law (i.e. the
substantive delivery of legal services).
There’s a lot of scope to use technology
to automate the time-consuming tasks
which cannot be billed to the client
(typically “business of law” legaltech).
Making business operations more efficient
and unlocking time for law firm staff so
they can focus on other initiatives - from
building relationships and their client
base, to billing more hours, or even
just getting a more reasonable work
/ life balance, provides a considerable
business advantage. This is work that is
a “no-brainer” to firms to automate, as it
removes the manual, repetitive tasks. This
covers a range of areas from invoicing,
to payments to AML. We’ve seen firms
gain significant benefits from this type of
technology, from improved staff morale,
increased productivity and greater profits.
From a law firm buyer perspective, it’s
easy to quantify the return on investment
that this type of technology delivers.
There’s a perception that law firms are
less inclined to invest in technology that
enables them to do the substantive legal
work faster (“practice of law” technology).
This may be due to law buyers being less
confident about the return on investment
for this type of technology. Often because
it might necessitate a longer term view in
terms of the benefits, or because it might
militate towards more innovative working
styles and practices.
For example, I could leverage technology
to reduce the time it takes to do a piece
of substantive legal work from 10 hours
to 5 hours. With crude logic applied, if I
charge £100 / h, leveraging technology
has resulted in my invoice to the client
going from £1000 to £500. An example
of this type of technology could be AI
that expedites the process of contract
review of routine documents like NDAs or
Supplier Agreements.
In a dramatically changing technology
landscape, that view is likely very
shortsighted. There has been a huge rise
in the number of ALSPs and new law firms
who are leveraging technology in all aspects
of their business to improve speed, increase
accuracy, and to keep costs manageable for
their clients. There is already competitive
pressure on law firms, and there will be
more competitive pressure in future from
law firms who are “tech-forward” and
actively exploring ways that they can
improve outcomes for their clients with the
better use of technology.
This logic also ignores the fact that there is
a huge unmet demand for legal services in
the UK. If you’re doing the work in half the
time, you could use the remaining time to
carry out a piece of work for another client,
build more relationships, improve your
client’s outcomes and build your business.
There’s an opportunity for the small and
mid-market firms to use technology to
gain a competitive advantage - by using
technology that both streamlines business
operations to reduce internal costs, and
leverages technology to improve efficiency
and productivity, and ultimately to improve
client outcomes.
There’s many authorities in the legal
market that have long suggested that the
billable hour is losing favour with firms
and clients. And we’ve certainly seen a rise
in the number of law firms offering truly
innovative pricing options to their clients,
that offer greater flexibility and more
certainty around costs. This has ranged
from fixed fees to subscription models.
Our view is that legal technology has
dramatically changed the way that law
firms operate over the last 5 years, and
that change has been a net positive for
all involved: clients benefit from greater
ease when instructing law firms as they
are now able to do so remotely, and
law firms have benefited from reduced
operational expenditure on areas of the
business that have historically been very
admin heavy. That change in the use of
technology will only continue, and there
are a wealth of new startups in this space
that are looking to solve real business
challenges that law firms face, all whilst
helping to improve outcomes for clients.
For those that have managed dramatic
change in their firms over the last 5
years to more digital ways of working, it
might be a bit of an unpopular opinion to
suggest that we’re only at the tip of the
iceberg when it comes to applications of
new technology to improve the business
and practice of law.
But that is why community, collaboration
and transparency are so important at this
time - we need to understand that we’re
on a journey of digital transformation
together, we’re all learning about the
application of emerging technologies like
generative AI, and we’ll all be better off is
we tackle those challenges together in an
open and communicative way.
Lauren Watson
Chair, UKLTA
36
37

AWARDS
AWARDS
On Wednesday 5th July 2023, Modern Law Magazine
welcomed the crème de la crème of the private client
legal profession through the doors of Liverpool’s
incredible Rum Warehouse, in recognition and
celebration of outstanding efforts across the industry.
In this very special ‘Winners’ edition of the magazine, we report on the details
of the night, and extend our huge congratulations to the shortlisted, highlycommended,
and award-winning firms, figures and notable trailblazers; all of
whom made the night so special for everyone involved.
This was the inaugural Modern Law Private Client
Awards, and I think it’s safe to say it was a great
success! Legal professionals from every corner of
Private Client Law were in attendance, dressed to
the nines, and ready to celebrate the industry’s best
and brightest. The night shone a light on the immense
talent, pioneers, innovators, and trailblazers making
their mark on the industry and forever changing the
legal landscape for the better.
So many fantastic firms and individuals were nominated
for the awards, showing just how competitive the
Private Client space really is, and to be shortlisted is an
achievement in and of itself. Our esteemed panel of
judges meticulously studied every nominee and worked
tirelessly to select the award winners of the highlycommended
recipients.
Attendees eagerly arrived at Liverpool’s Titanic Hotel
from every corner of the U.K. ready to walk into The Rum
Warehouse for a night of great food, comedy, awards,
and dancing. The glamorous evening started out with a
Champagne reception, kindly sponsored by Estatesearch,
and everyone greeting old and new friends whilst
dressed to impress. The reception was humming with
excitement as to what the night could hold for the first
Modern Law Private Client Awards.
Guests filtered through into The Rum Warehouse to be
greeted by retro arcade games including Super Mario,
Space Invaders, bowling, and a beer pong table. Once
everyone had found their table, Kate McKittrick took to
the stage to give the welcoming speech and to warm
everyone up. Dr. I. Stephanie Boyce, our esteemed Chair
Judge of the awards, followed up with a speech of her own
congratulating all our incredible nominees, acknowledging
all their contributions to the private client sector, and
thanking her fellow Judges for all of their hard work.
Moments after the introduction speeches finished the
delicious three course meal was being served. As all
our guests tucked in and appetites were satisfied, the
atmosphere grew, and conversations were flowing along
with the drinks. Once everyone had their fill it was time
for the ceremony to begin.
The evening’s host, Dominic Holland, popped up on
stage and grabbed all our attention with his awardwinning
comedy. The giggles were soon filling the room,
and Dominic wasn’t afraid to put the most esteemed and
poker-faced of legal professionals on the spot, and get
them to let out a chuckle.
With the evening well underway, the awards began
being handed out to all of our incredible winners, and
highly commended recipients. Cheers from every table
roared for every winner as they graced the stage and
humbly accepted their awards. It was truly a celebration
of the work and success of legal professionals in the
private client sector, and it was a real pleasure for us all at
Modern Law to be able to be a part of it all.
The awards ceremony came to a close with the Lifetime
Achievement Award, awarded posthumously to the
magnificent Keith Biggs. The award was presented by
Dr. I Stephanie Boyce who spoke of Keith’s amazing life,
and all of his achievements and contributions to the legal
profession. Keith’s wife, Maureen Biggs, and his children,
Georgina and James, accepted the award on his behalf
making the moment an emotional point of the night.
Maureen decided to say a few impromptu words, and it
turned into one of the best speeches I have ever heard.
We were treated to an insight into Keith’s life, passions,
and personality. Maureen made us laugh, cry, and feel
inspired. It was easily one of the most memorable
moments of the night.
Once all the awards had been handed out, Dominic
said his goodbyes and the music started. The dance
floor filled with legal professionals who had let their hair
down and were prepared to dance the night away. Most
notably, Craig Dade, from the event’s headline sponsor
LEAP, was tearing up the dance floor and seemed to
be having the time of his life. The arcade game’s had
colleagues competing against each other, and friendly
rivalries between legal professionals broke out along
with their competitiveness. Later, three giant Moon Bots
entered the room surprising everyone with their dance
moves and adding some intrigue to the guest list. They
towered over everyone in the room on their stilts, and it
felt like they had come straight out of a futuristic film. It
wouldn’t be a Modern Law event with the unexpected, as
we don’t do things by half.
Lastly, please join us in congratulating all of the 2023
Modern Law Private Client Awards winners, highlycommended
recipients, and everyone who made the
shortlists! Thank you to all of our amazing sponsors as
without you none of this could have been possible. You
can find in the following pages the names of all the
winners, photos from all the shenanigans of the evening,
and an interview with our headline sponsor, LEAP.
We hope to see you again next year on the dancefloor!
38
39

AWARDS
AWARDS
Modern Law Private Client Awards 2023 Modern Law Private Client Awards 2023
40
41

AWARDS
AWARDS
Modern Law Private Client Awards 2023 Results
Private Client Team - Wills & Probate
Winner: Weightmans LLP
Highly Commended: Levi Solicitors LLP
Private Client Team - Family Law​
Winner: Kingsley Napley LLP
Highly Commended: Weightmans LLP
Private Client Team - Tax & Trusts
Winner: The Burnside Partnership
Highly Commended: Porter Dodson
Private Client Team - Charities & Philanthropy
Winner: Shakespeare Martineau
Highly Commended: Weightmans LLP
Lawyer of the Year - Wills & Probate ​
Winner: David King - Harrison Clark Rickerbys
Highly Commended: Helen Claydon - Fidelis Legal
Services Limited
Lawyer of the Year - Family Law
Winner: Connie Atkinson - Kingsley Napley LLP
Highly Commended: Jo O’Sullivan - O’Sullivan Family Law
Best Use of Technology
Winner: Capacity Vault
Joint Highly Commended: Inheritance Data and Settify
Best Paralegal​
Winner: Rhian Evans - Symes Bains Broomer Solicitors
Highly Commended: Jessica Pinches - Black Antelope Law
Supporting the Industry (1-25 Employees)
Winner: inCase
Highly Commended: Level
Supporting the Industry (26+ Employees)​
Winner: Legl
Highly Commended: Anglia Research Services Ltd
Outstanding Client Care
Winner: Tinsdills Solicitors
Joint Highly Commended:
Bell Lamb & Joynson Solicitors and Simpler Law Ltd
Best Workplace Wellbeing
Winner: Will & Probate Services (Estate Planning) Ltd
Highly Commended: Weightmans LLP
Best Innovation​
Winner: Capacity Vault
Highly Commended: Level
Rising Star of the Year
Winner: Jessica Pinches - Black Antelope Law
Highly Commended: Jade Gani - Circe Law Ltd
Business Growth​
Winner: NewLaw Solicitors
Highly Commended: IDR Law
National Private Client Team
Winner: Shakespeare Martineau
National Private Client Lawyer​
Winner: Connie Atkinson - Kingsley Napley LLP
Outstanding Achievement
Winner: Caroline Bielanska
Lifetime Achievement
Winner: Keith Biggs
KINDLY SPONSORED BY
Headline Sponsor Interview - LEAP
Ben Aslet
Head of Marketing – LEAP UK Group
What led you to become headline sponsors for the
Q inaugural Modern Law Private Client Awards?
Being a cloud-based practice management software solution
A LEAP is able to continually evolve as a product, over the last
year we have made a number of significant enhancements to
the software that supports private client work, so the inaugural
Modern Law Private clients Awards seemed the perfect event
to support. Having previously sponsored the Modern Law
Conveyancing Awards, which has become so well respected, it
seemed obvious for us to be involved.
What positive impact do events like the Modern Law
Q Private Client Awards have on the legal industry?
AAwards such as the Modern Law Private Client Awards have a
tremendous impact on the profession, promoting best practice
and celebrating leaders within their field. The Awards reward high
standards, great service, dedication, and innovation and recognise
the significant achievements of both winners and nominees alike.
What was your favourite moment from the night, and your
Q favourite category?
It was an absolute pleasure to be involved in such a special
A evening, the highlight this year was our Director of Lifetime
Planning, Craig Matthews having the privilege of awarding the
2023 Lifetime Achievement Award to the family of the late Keith
Biggs in his honour.
QWhile gaining a competitive edge over other nominees is
what sets the winners of the night apart from the rest,
just how important is continued collaboration across the
legal industry to ensure success and justice?
ACollaboration across any profession is essential, it is
only by addressing challenges together and sharing
knowledge we achieve the best outcomes for all, and
quicker, in what is a rapidly changing profession.
“It was an
absolute
pleasure to
be involved in
such a special
evening”
42
43

ROUNDTABLE
ROUNDTABLE
Personal Injury
A Roundtable Discussion
Welcome to Modern Law’s Personal Injury Roundtable!
Heather Batey
Managing Director,
Reach Personal Injury
Kirsten Roberts
Director, Box Legal
Sucheet Amin
CEO, inCase
Sarah Ransome
Managing Director,
DipSW
Jeff Winn
Executive Chairman, Winn Group
This section of the Magazine is dedicated to exploring the world of Personal
Injury, with industry-leading experts. In this edition we discuss the importance
of collaboration, the impact of streamlined processes, new opportunities
arising from technology, the intensifying competition of the industry,
and much more...
For clients who are making a personal injury claim, why is it important that
you implement efficient streamlined processes? And what aspects are
taken into consideration when creating these processes?
Jeff: For the vast majority of small injury claims, it is
no longer possible to recover legal costs from the other
side. This means that all costs have to come out of the
claimant’s damages. The change in legislation means
that the claimant’s damages have been significantly
reduced for whiplash claims. It is proving difficult in a
whiplash case for the solicitor to receive a reasonable
level of remuneration whilst the client receives a
reasonable amount of their damages. It is imperative that
MOJ streamline the process and particularly the transfer
of information from solicitors in an efficient manner.
Sucheet: The PI sector has been plagued by changes
to the recoverability of costs for over 10 years now and
it will continue to hamper business models, particularly
when you consider the lack of increases to take account
of inflation and the last-minute notice of what fees will
be to allow time to adjust. PI firms are typically very good
at adapting (they have had to be) and a large part of this
comes down to effective systems and management.
I believe it is really important to tackle 4 areas, all of
which I uncovered from my own PI clients back in 2011
but are still very relevant and appropriate for today.
Firstly, speed. A client involved in a PI claim has been put
in that position through an unexpected event. As such,
turning to a lawyer is a ‘distress purchase’. It is born out
of necessity not need. Therefore, clients want as fast a
process as possible.
Secondly, information. Clients have for decades struggled
to cope with consuming vast amounts of information and
technical language that leads to confusion. Confusion leads
to frustration which is then place at the door of their lawyer.
Thirdly, education. Gone are the days when clients
waited patiently for their lawyer to contact them with
an update or a request for information and then wait
patiently for the next contact. They want to be involved
along the way. They want to be educated about the
process and what might happen down the line.
Fourthly, technology. Clients want to use technology.
I don’t believe portals have any impact here. It is too
much to ask a client to log into a portal, go find out what
they want and action. It is far easier for them to email or
call their lawyer. Efficient systems require a level of selfservice,
and this is where technology plays a huge role.
Kirsten: The ATE process must be as accessible,
simplistic, and as swift as possible but also measured. It’s
a fine balance. One of our USPs has always been ‘minimal
administration’. Firms do not have the time to fill in long
forms or have lengthy discussions about their cases.
Our process has been tweaked over the years; we are
able to integrate our case management system with
the majority of our firms, offering them a service at the
touch of a button.
If we are unable to link with a firm’s system, their
second option is to use our website. This requires only
the smallest amount of information, and the case is on
cover within a minute or 2. We have honed this process
to enable firms the freedom to concentrate on their case
with the assurance that the case is backed by insurance.
Heather: I’d like to stress how important it is within
the rehabilitation process to be clear, focussed and
streamlined. This is a frightful path for a PI client and their
family to tread and there is a great deal of anxiety and
concern. Suddenly, there are a number of professionals
in their lives with whom they are unfamiliar, using
language that is also unfamiliar. Great communication
must be the key consideration at this time, which we drive
through efficient processes, ensuring the right amount
of information is conveyed at the right depth. It may
be that such information is provided in bite sized pieces
and reinforced or delivered in written form, so it can be
accessed at the most receptive time for the client.
A major area of concern within the rehabilitation process
is perhaps for an overwhelming MDT to be in place when
the various clinicians need to dovetail and focus their
intervention at the right stage of the pathway. This is
all achievable and is facilitated by efficient streamlined
processes when we are all mindful of working together to
the best of our abilities for the betterment of our clients.
Sarah: Throughout the client’s journey we make
the best possible use of existing technology, whilst
also investing in and fully embracing the best of new
technology and interactive media.
This includes digital marketing which forms a key part of
our business strategy, ensuring we remain innovative and
forward thinking in our approach. Committed to client choice
at all times, we listen to feedback from clients, their families
and our referrers, using this information to be positive and
responsive when it comes to improving our services to them.
Learning from feedback received during the pandemic,
we have retained the option of virtual meet and greets
for clients although of course face to face meeting
are also offered. Virtual meetings are also less time
consuming and are often quicker to arrange in busy
diaries enabling the process of choosing a case manager
to get moving faster.
Case managers frequently access technology to enable
clients to use bespoke environmental controls to support
them with activities of daily living and control their home
environment, which of course includes the use of smart
phones and ever more advanced high street technology.
44
45

ROUNDTABLE
ROUNDTABLE
“Throughout the client’s journey we make
the best possible use of existing technology, whilst
also investing in and fully embracing the best of new
technology and interactive media.”
In a sector as fiercely competitive as Personal Injury, what sets your company
apart from other competitors in your field? What gives you the edge?
Sarah: ILS has over 30 years of experience in the case
management marketplace, and we have learned a lot
over the years. Not only do we offer nationwide case
management coverage for both adult and paediatric
clients, but we have fantastic back-office support, freeing
our case managers up to do the thing that motivates them
most- supporting catastrophically injured clients to achieve
their aspirational goals.
Alongside our head office support team, we have a highly
skilled team of professional mentors, all experienced case
managers in their own right but not holding a case load,
they are able to step in should a case manager be unable
to respond to an urgent matter as they know their team
cases really well. In addition to that function the support
they offer is essential to ensure case managers have access
to the clinical supervision required to manage complex
cases effectively.
Kirsten: We offer a transparent insurance policy and
although we are a compact team, we offer a bespoke
one to one service with lawyers on the other end of
the phone. This means we can make decisions quickly
and those decisions are being made by someone with
previous experience in personal injury – no one is feeding
information into a machine to reach an answer.
Jeff: What sets Winns apart from competitors is the one
stop shop service provided for those who suffer a non-fault
accident. Winns assess any accident circumstances via a
24/7 call centre. A decision is quickly made as to who is
liable and if the client is not liable for the accident, we
help them place their repairs, obtain a replacement hire
vehicle, recovery and storage etc. We then pursue all claims
including any other losses and personal injury which occur.
Heather: It is a competitive field we work in, and I feel
that our USP must be the highly specialist nature of our
organisation. We only work with traumatically brain injured
clients (and TBI associated disability) in their own homes/
community and workspaces, with a goal focussed approach
on outcomes. We have a very strong, experienced clinical
team of specialist neuro-OTs that reach across the whole of
the UK, so we are national in our approach.
It is an important distinction that we do not support our
clients, we rehabilitate them, and for our more severely
brain injured clients we deliver intensive one-to-one therapy
of up to 10 hours a week, as required to meet their SMART
goals. For our head trauma and concussion clientele, we
operate a very flexible, technology driven service. Our entire
team is passionate about the work that we do, and I firmly
believe that this passion, combined with our innovative,
flexible approach that strives for best possible outcomes
sets us apart from our competitors.
“‘During the pandemic we have seen that virtual
platforms have been invaluable within the litigation, the
case management, and the rehab processes.”
How can we better bring those
involved in the PI process together
to discuss the relationship
between the claimant, the solicitor,
case manager, insurer, and rehab
provider? In what ways would this
improve the overall process and
patient journey?
Kirsten: We have always believed in the importance of
bringing together all those involved. This often means we
chat with a Solicitor, a funder, and a referrer around the
table to reach a conclusion that works for everyone. There
always needs to be a level of understanding of the case
type between all parties that have an interest in the client
and the case. This discussion can often be emotive due to
the nature of this work, but any case must also be in the
interest of each company involved as without this, the PI
process and patient journey would be non-existent. This
collaboration improves the overall progression as it allows
for an understanding of each business and highlights how
we can work together to achieve a good outcome on all
cases for clients.
Heather: During the pandemic we have seen that virtual
platforms have been invaluable within the litigation, the
case management, and the rehab processes.
The ability to have a remote team meeting from the
outset to introduce all team members and establish a
baseline from which to progress is essential. Therefore,
everyone is clear on the key goals and drivers.
Additionally, this is a positive opportunity for a claimant,
if wished, to be listened to, understood, and heard. This
is often such a powerful experience for the claimant and
often lends to better engagement in the process.
Sucheet: Communication and clarity are key to a
successful relationship between all the parties involved.
There needs to be understanding across the board
about what is the objective and how are they going to
get there. The sharing of information is important but
also the tools to make this happen. Again, legal tech
has a part to play where information can be shared
quickly to allow decisions to be made.
“‘New technologies,
in particular artificial
intelligence will assist in
the delivery of products and
customer care.’
“‘There is a big drive on
collaboration within
case management and
rehabilitation services,
however this needs to
go wider and involve all
stakeholders.”
What opportunities do new
technologies offer in relation
to the delivery of products,
customer care & services?
Jeff: New technologies, in particular artificial
intelligence, will assist in the delivery of products
and customer care. Much of the work on non-fault
claims are very similar and lend themselves to artificial
intelligence
Sucheet: New tech in my view should not be
considered as a method to replace client care but to
complement it. A key skill for any lawyer is empathy
and tech will struggle to replace that quality, built up
over years of experience and understanding. However,
tech can help support lawyers to spend more of their
time with client care by handling the more routine
parts of any legal process.
Heather: There is an abundance of technology
which can aid the rehab process. I will answer from a
clinical viewpoint. For the head trauma and concussion
cohort of claimants, technological solutions to
delivering rehabilitation products are crucial and this
is something we champion within Reach. Assessments
and treatment sessions can be delivered using various
technologies, enabling claimants to access innovative
online therapy options, giving them flexibility and
ownership. The outcomes we are achieving have been
quite astonishing, which has led me to believe the
days of F2F treatment sessions for a variety of patient
groups are long gone
46 47

ROUNDTABLE
Why is it important to encourage collaborative approaches to the
delivery of PI claimant settlements, and services?
Sucheet: Collaboration at all levels is really important in
my view. Every firm has a different approach to supporting
a PI claimant. At inCase we recognise this and proudly
encourage collaboration to find the best way to help them
deliver their services. We don’t start a clock when it comes
to consultancy or even charge a fee. We believe in making
inCase or any legal tech product fit the business needs,
not for the business to fit the tech. That means talking
and discussing how inCase will work in their business and
that means understanding key objectives and outcomes so
we can all work towards those goals.
Heather: There is a big drive on collaboration within case
management and rehabilitation services, however this
needs to go wider and involve all stakeholders. We all talk
about “putting the claimant at the centre of the process”
as is set out in the Rehabilitation Code however, all
stakeholders have differing access points and roles to play.
Only by communicating openly, with full transparency
between stakeholders of our focus, goals, achievements,
and barriers can we truly provide the best possible service
for claimants.
“Communication and clarity
are key to a successful relationship
between all the parties involved.”
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Working with a client following a serious or life changing injury
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With over 30 years’ experience
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Our national network of highly qualified Case Managers are
supported by an experienced head office team including
recruitment, HR and payroll services for client care teams.
This puts us in a unique position to offer completely holistic
clinical and therapeutic support for your client.
Our Case Managers all have professional backgrounds and each
provides a bespoke person-centred approach, upholding the
core values of the company.
Their knowledgebase covers a breadth of areas of expertise
including, but not limited to:
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Flexible Commercial Business Terms
Every enquiry made by our referrers is considered on a case by
case basis.
We recognise that funding for case management isn’t always
immediately available, and we are able to offer swift support
through our deferred payment terms. This provides early access
to an INA and enables case management to begin without delay.
We want everyone who needs
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soon as possible and together
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Our Case Managers are registered with BABICM
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Sarah: Case managers support their clients to live
meaningful lives after catastrophic events, with a focus on
what matters most to the individual. We are aware that
chronic exposure to other people’s suffering can itself result
in a form of trauma. Case managers can suffer secondary or
vicarious trauma, which may trigger burnout and become
a barrier to their ability to support clients as well as having
a personal impact on the case manager themselves and
their own life. We recognise this potential risk and have
systems in place to ameliorate the issue. A primary barrier to
managing secondary trauma is identifying the symptoms.
Working with a team of clinical supervisors empowers
clinicians to recognise when the trauma their clients have
experienced is having an effect on them enabling us to put
systems in place to support them.
49
Heather: We are clinical professionals, and our entire
team recognises that this is a very emotional, yet
privileged, area to work in. A brain injury can happen to
anyone in the blink of an eye – when one is left suddenly,
with life changing injuries that they must find a way to
adapt to, and to come to terms with. All our clinicians
are experienced and have regular clinical supervision
on each claimant they are working with, every 2 weeks,
with support from our clinical leadership as and when
required. We also have regular monthly CPD sessions set
by our clinical leads, which explore areas of continual
development. We have adopted a process that allows
our clinicians to take time out if they need to (this is an
imperative that we adopted from NHS practice, where
overload is commonplace). We have a moral and legal
responsibility to consider the mental health and wellbeing
of our own staff, as well as our clients, otherwise we
will not be able to complete the work that we strive to
achieve. The work/life balance is so important for us all,
and we all have a duty to each other to help find harmony
in the workplace.

ROUNDTABLE
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in-case.co.uk
“We have a moral and legal responsibility to consider
the mental health and wellbeing of our own staff, as
well as our clients, otherwise we will not be able to
complete the work that we strive to achieve.”
What are the primary challenges in the Personal Injury and rehabilitation world,
and what impact does this have on the claimant?
Heather: Post-COVID and from a rehab perspective,
the primary challenges appear to be timely execution
of appropriate rehabilitative interventions to aid
the recovery process. While it is right and proper
for claimants to access statutory services in the first
instance, there is less and less statutory provision
available for this client group, especially in the
community. This results in potential rehabilitation
opportunities being missed and claimants muddling
through while adopting maladaptive strategies,
hence compromising their longer-term recovery.
This approach not only has a negative impact on the
claimant’s recovery and mental health and the overall
wellbeing of their family, but it also protracts the
claim, as the case is drawn out with higher ongoing
costs as rehabilitation potential is compromised.
Early notification and early intervention is key for all
stakeholders involved in this process.
Jeff: The primary challenge is for MOJ to make the
personal injury portal much more efficient so that
solicitors can download the information required and
respond to the information efficiently. It is clear that
claimants do not wish to proceed without a solicitor and
feel they need a solicitor. The failure to get the system
solicitor-friendly is causing a major headache and resulting
in higher deduction from damages.
Sarah: The primary challenges have shifted in recent
years, and I would now place recruitment at the top of
the challenge agenda. We know that we have what it
takes to recruit great case managers, but it can be a real
challenge to recruit support workers and therapists. We
want the process of applying to be easy and interactive,
including utilising a video interviewing functionality of our
recruitment software. With technology working alongside
our tireless recruitment team making personal contact, we
are hopeful that we can catch great applicants early and
secure the best candidates to suit each client team.
Sucheet: It’s a challenging situation. Rehab delivered
quickly can have a profoundly positive impact for the
claimant in terms of recovery. However, understanding
what that rehab is and getting permission or funding from
a compensating insurer can be very time-consuming.
When I used to practice, I would often find delays
between assessing rehab needs and insurer involvement
that only served to delay treatment which is painful for the
claimant and costly to the insurer.
“With technology working alongside
our tireless recruitment team making personal
contact, we are hopeful that we can catch
great applicants early and secure the best
candidates to suit each client team.”
51

TECH
INTERVIEWS
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Welcome to Modern Law’s Tech Interviews
This section of the magazine is dedicated to discussing what tech is out there
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In the following few pages, you will find interviews with legal tech service
providers who tell us about what they have to offer, and how new innovative and
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*Reference: Landmark Information Group Transaction Milestone Data, December 2022.
53

TECH
INTERVIEWS
A Chat With...Iceberg
Improve your
Iceberg are a forward-thinking legal finance provider paving the
way for a more accessible and understand legal landscape.
cashflow
We are a dedicated lender, specialising in
funding for the legal sector.
With same-day approvals, flexible payment
terms and competitive rates, we can tailor
loans to improve your cashflow.
Funding includes
• Professional Indemnity Insurance
• Partners’ and Members’ Tax
• VAT Funding
• Corporation Tax
• Practising Certificates
• Capex for IT upgrades and
office refurbishments
How does Iceberg stay informed about the
latest advancements in technology and integrate
that knowledge into their risk assessment and
loan offerings?
At Iceberg, part of the Paragon Banking Group, we have recently
enhanced our FastTrack service which utilises credit reference
agencies. This often allows us to approve loans up to £240K on
the day of application as well as being able to offer credit lines for
the upcoming year, to help ensure that future loan requirements
are met in a timely and efficient manner.
What sets Iceberg apart from other financial
providers in the legal industry, and what
advantages or benefits can law firms expect from
partnering with Iceberg for their financing needs?
Iceberg sets itself apart from other legal finance providers through
our strong focus on a personalised service. As part of Paragon,
we offer competitive rates and fast lending decisions. However,
what truly distinguishes us is our commitment to availability and
understanding of our clients’ businesses.
When working with Iceberg, law firms benefit from a dedicated
account manager. You can always pick up the phone without
going through a convoluted phone system and speak directly to
your account manager, who works exclusively with law firms. This
more traditional approach combined with the benefits of being
part of a large bank ensures that Iceberg delivers an efficient
personalised service for our clients.
How does Iceberg assess the financial health and
viability of law firms when considering financing
options, and what factors do you consider in
determining the terms and conditions?
We have various matrixes for our lending criteria. In addition, our
credit team have many years’ experience working with law firms
and understand the mechanics of managing such businesses.
However, I believe forward planning within law firms probably
stands out for me. We’re looking for firms to be ahead of the
curve with an overdraft saved for emergency use rather than
being relied upon for known requirements such as tax liabilities,
insurance premiums and staff costs.
What trends have you seen in your sector, and
what ones are you most excited by?
Excited is probably the wrong word but the recent interest rate
changes have made my job more challenging over the last 12
months. I’m hoping to see some of the benefits be passed on the
client account balances. Meanwhile, we continue to lend at fixed
rates, and this protects my clients against the increasing costs of
borrowing. – think we might want to find a different approach.
What type of ongoing support or advisory services
does Iceberg provide to law firms that have
availed financing, ensuring they make sound
financial decisions and maximize the benefits of
the financing arrangement?
My colleagues and I are in regular contact with our clients to
make sure they have sufficient cash resources in place for any
unexpected costs that may arise. We have recently been providing
funding for firms’ July tax liabilities, for which they might not
usually borrow. This allows them to reserve the funds they may
have allocated for such liabilities, for other expenditure later
in the year, when borrowing costs may have risen, or credit
availability may not be accessible as it is now.
Ethan French
Account Manager,
Iceberg
Talk to our specialist team today to find out more
T: 01202 835 035
E: info@iceberggroup.co.uk W: www.iceberg-partners.co.uk
Iceberg is a trading style of Paragon Business Finance PLC. Registered in England number 01497411. Registered office
51 Homer Road, Solihull, West Midlands B91 3QJ. Paragon Business Finance PLC is registered on the Financial Services Register
under the firm reference number 730803.
Part of Paragon Bank
55

TECH
INTERVIEWS
We are the connection between
your IT and Finance Teams
A Chat With...Report Factory
Report Factory formed in 2006 to provide Professional Service Firms with
the highly specialised service of creating custom automated reports.
What sets Report Factory apart from other
companies in the reporting industry? How does
the company ensure its reports are accurate,
reliable, and actionable?
Everyone in the Report Factory team are qualified accountants
as well as data nerds and tech specialists. That means we have
a different view of data to the average report writer, particularly
when the reporting is financial or financial metrics focused. Every
one of us has worked in a legal firm or accounting firm in an
accounting role frustrated by systems and reports, which is how
most of us got into this business.
Because of that data focus we focus heavily on system-to-system
conversations (Integration) using whatever integration tools best
suit the circumstance. We’re still amazed at how many firms have
the same metric in two systems, and they are different. You can’t
accurately and confidently run a management team on that data.
It’s all about data accuracy.
Many years ago, I was speaking at a PMS conference in
Melbourne, Australia. My topic was data quality, and the room
was full of PMS administrators and Finance people. I asked
the audience to raise their hands if they had better than 95%
confidence in the accuracy of their PMS data.
Everyone in the Report Factory team are qualified accountants as well as data nerds and tech
specialists.
Despite the name, we do a LOT more than reporting including:
• Software selection and implementation
• Data integrations
• Reporting strategy and package design
• Process and reporting analysis
• Conversions
• Software upgrades
• Mergers and conversions
• Application customisation
• Practice restructure
• Training
• Workflow
• Profitability measurement automation
We have a data focus. We see technology as plumbing that has to be there and has to keep
working consistently. We choose technologies based on the client, not based on favourites. It’s
super important that the data is the centre of attention, because once the technology is, we’re all
doomed. Because of our accounting and technology joint focus, we can provide “Boardroom to
Backroom”. We all code, and we all inherently understand the financials.
We’d love to leverage our unique skill set and approach in your next project.
Contact us for a no-obligation chat on info@reportfactory.co.uk
info@reportfactory.co.uk
www.reportfactory.co.uk
REPORTING | INTEGRATION | WORKFLOW | TRAINING
Why is it important for Law firms to invest in a
service like yours?
Despite the name, we do a LOT more than reporting. It was
where we started 20 years ago, but the services and the market
has changed. The name is the name, but it’s not the whole story.
We are heavily focused on data integrations and data processes.
If you work backwards from accurate reporting, you get to data
quality and that is so bound up in process and integration that
many years ago we started working in that space. We also do
large data conversions whether it’s from one system to another for
software upgrades, or mergers and acquisition data manipulation,
mergers and reporting related thereto. Of late there’s been quite a
lot of data merger work going on.
Again, we’re all accountants, we inherently care about data
quality, accuracy and how the data will ultimately be used, so
mergers are tricky and require a deft touch, particularly as they
are ALWAYS short on time.
We’ve traditionally helped firms with PMS and Workflow systems
selection projects and full-scale implementations too, it’s all part
of the puzzle.
How does Report Factory leverage technology
and data analytics to gather and analyse
information for its reports? Can you discuss any
recent technological advancements or innovative
approaches used by the company?
In the past few years, we’ve had a heavy involvement in financial
and performance metrics definition and designing and building
code to do those calculations. We call it “Boardroom to backroom”
and typically only one or two of us are required for that journey as
we all code, and we all inherently understand the financials.
We don’t have a technology focus per se. We have a data focus.
We see technology as plumbing that has to be there and has to
keep working consistently. We choose technologies based on the
client, not based on favourites. It’s super important that the data
is the centre of attention, because once the technology is, we’re
all doomed.
57
How long has Report Factory been working in
Legal, and what other industries do you service?
We’re 99% exclusive to legal. Very occasionally we deal with an
accounting firm or a firm of Actuaries, but it’s pretty rare. The
business was formed in 2003 so we’ve been going a while. Our
team is very stable, we don’t use contractors. Most of the team
have been on board for more than 10 years.
You’re based in Australia, but with a heavy focus
on UK legal. How does that work?
Very well actually. We’ve been working in the UK for about 8 years.
We have a UK subsidiary, bank account and VAT registration. Our
rates and projects are all done in GBP, it’s simple for everyone.
Covid has helped us out to be honest, as firms are now 100%
comfortable with online meetings and remote workers, particularly
as they don’t have to provide space for our team in their offices.
Our UK clients love the way we can get jobs done whilst they’re
asleep. It’s super time efficient, and puts any systems loads
(like during big data conversions) outside UK operating hours.
Conversely the team here are super flexible when it comes to
doing live meetings over Zoom / teams etc. during UK business
hours (normally the first half of the day obviously), but that also
means we are pretty productive as well.
Everyone wins.
Peter Ross
Consultant,
Report Factory

BLG SUMMER
CONFERENCE
BLG SUMMER
CONFERENCE
What was your favourite talk from the day and what ideas/thoughts did you
take away from them? “Building Safety Act- mainly for the great job Chris
Harris did stepping into the breach to host it!”
Alex Holt, Director of Business Development, The Cashroom
The Bold Legal Summer
Conference 2023: A Landmark
Event for Legal Professionals
The Bold Legal Summer Conference 2023,
held by Bold Legal Group in the beautiful
ground of Regents Park in London, proved to
be a defining moment for legal professionals
seeking to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving
industry. With its successful conclusion,
the conference has left an indelible mark
on the legal community. Drawing together
distinguished legal experts, thought leaders,
and practitioners, the event served as a
platform for knowledge sharing, networking,
and collaboration. Attendees experienced
an immersive environment that fostered
learning, inspiration, and innovation. From
captivating keynote speeches to engaging
panel discussions, the Bold Legal Summer
Conference 2023 truly delivered on its
promise to empower legal professionals and
shape the future of the legal landscape.
The conference program was carefully curated to
cover a broad range of topics and trends that are
shaping the legal profession. Over the course of the
day, attendees were treated to a diverse array of
thought-provoking sessions, interactive workshops,
and engaging panel discussions. The program
delved into cutting-edge legal technology, emerging
legal frameworks, and the evolving role of lawyers
in an increasingly digital world. It also explored the
importance of diversity and inclusion in the legal
sector, ethical considerations in the age of AI, and
strategies for effective client management.
“I honestly believe this is becoming
one of the standout, unmissable
conference events in the legal
calendar. Great organisation, loads of
engaged attendees, fantastic venue.”
Alex Holt, Director of Business Development,
The Cashroom
Andrea Monti Solza
Co-Founder, Coveyo
Q: How was your experience at the
BLG conference?
A: Excellent. Rob (Hailstone) excels at bringing
together some of the most forward-thinking
minds in the conveyancing industry.
Q: What was your favourite talk from the
day and what ideas/thoughts did you take
away from them?
A: My favourite talk has got to be “Enough is
Enough - Can conveyancers take on any more
responsibilities?”. It might sound amusing, but
I genuinely find conveyancing fascinating! It’s a
field that is primed for disruption, with plenty of
untapped potential waiting. Witnessing people
engage in passionate debates about their
perspectives is always exhilarating - and incredibly
informative on their passions and struggles. After
all, it’s not every day you come across a gathering
of 300 solicitors in a single room!
Q: Did you feel the agenda of the
event reflect the current landscape of
conveyancing? What aspect did you feel was
most relevant and why?
A: The event struck a good balance between
addressing current topics and offering a glimpse
into the future. It’s no easy feat, considering
the ever-evolving nature of the conveyancing
industry. Trying to keep up with all the new
information, even the obscure stuff, while just
trying to do your job can be a real challenge. But
you know what? The highlight of my day was
definitely getting to mingle and connect with all
those fascinating people. It was awesome!
The Bold Legal Summer Conference 2023 boasted
an impressive lineup of renowned conveyancing
legal experts and influential speakers. Each
presenter brought a unique perspective and
contributed valuable insights to the discussions.
Keynote speeches by industry stalwarts challenged
conventional wisdom, encouraging attendees
to think critically and embrace change. Panel
discussions featuring experts from various
legal disciplines sparked lively debates, allowing
attendees to gain a deeper understanding of the
complex issues facing the legal profession.
The conference provided ample opportunities
for attendees to connect with their peers, foster
new relationships, and establish meaningful
professional connections. Networking sessions and
social events created a vibrant atmosphere where
legal professionals from different backgrounds and
jurisdictions could come together, exchange ideas,
and explore potential collaborations. The spirit
of collaboration was further enhanced through
interactive activities and breakout sessions,
enabling participants to engage in productive
discussions and share best practices. Attendees left
the conference equipped not only with newfound
knowledge but also with a strong network of likeminded
professionals to support them in their
future endeavours.
The Bold Legal Summer Conference 2023 was an
absolute success, surpassing expectations and
solidifying its position as a leading event for legal
professionals. With its diverse program, esteemed
speakers, and invaluable networking opportunities,
the conference provided a platform for legal experts
to stay updated on industry trends, exchange
knowledge, and cultivate relationships. By fostering
an environment of innovation, collaboration,
and growth, the Bold Legal Summer Conference
empowered attendees to navigate the challenges
of an ever-changing legal landscape. As the legal
profession continues to evolve, events like these will
undoubtedly play a crucial role in shaping the future
of the industry.
Lastly, I would like to say a massive thank you and
congratulations to Rob and Lynne Hailstone, and
the entire Bold Legal Group for putting on this
event (and for inviting the Modern Law Magazine
team). I must also mention our friends over at
LEAP, who were the headline sponsors for this
event, and thank them for supporting so many
incredible legal events and creating opportunities
for the legal industry to collaborate.
58 59

FORUM
Conveyancing in 2023
A Forum Discussion
Welcome to Modern Law’s Special Conveyancing Panel!
This section of the magazine is dedicated to delving deep into the conveyancing
profession with the help of industry-leading experts. In this particular edition, we
discuss: the challenges that lie ahead, tech innovation, safeguarding the future,
how to deal with the pressures of the conveyancing world, and much more.
This issue’s opinions are from:
Heather Crichton
General Manager, Industry
Readiness at PEXA
Angela Hesketh
Director of Conveyancing
Transformation at Smoove
Rob Gurney
Managing Director of
Ochresoft, a Landmark
Information Group company
Joe Pepper
CEO at tmgroup
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FORUM
FORUM
How has tech changed the conveyancing sector over the past decade?
Rob Gurney: Technology has had a continuous and beneficial
impact on conveyancing – perhaps it’s been so incremental it
sometimes goes unnoticed. Despite many new tech solutions
entering the market, the success of technology is often measured
in terms of overall speed and the home buying process is taking
longer than ever. In fact, our own data shows that it takes an
average of 133 days to buy a home, 77% longer than in 2007 1 .
As the workload for conveyancers has expanded, tools have been
created to assist with individual challenges. For example, Anti-
Money Laundering (AML) checks and source of funds validation
systems removes the need to collect pages of bank statements
and ask multiple questions - but they only solve very specific
queries and as one tech component arrives, another compliance
demand appears to come along.
However, if these various piecemeal solutions were removed from
existence, then the conveyancing process would undoubtably be
even less efficient. After all, a transaction can only move as fast
as the slowest link in the chain. And here lies another issue: not
everyone has adopted new technology yet. Some of the more
traditional aspects of conveyancing, such as title checking, are still
driven by physical/manual solutions and we still see documents
shared via the postal system.
So, although technology has helped conveyancers to tackle
new challenges as they have arisen, the end-to-end process has
stood still, with much of the essential ‘bread and butter’ work
still delivered and connected by manual methods. To produce the
speed and certainty the sector is craving we need to integrate our
various technologies.
Angela Hesketh: Technology has moved from the ‘back room’
to the forefront of conveyancing over the past decade. By this I
mean it has become the aspect of conveyancing that is discussed,
introduced, improved and implemented most often within
conveyancing operations to improve service whereas 10 years ago
it was largely ignored or seen as a necessary evil.
“Technology has had a continuous and
beneficial impact on conveyancing –
perhaps it’s been so incremental it
sometimes goes unnoticed.”
Ten years ago, many firms only had a basic case management
system that was not fit for purpose and was relegated to a
glorified filing cabinet. Now most conveyancers could not manage
their cases effectively without it.
Conveyancers who are customer and process focussed are
engaged with tech and are keenly watching and awaiting tech
solutions that will continue to improve the way in which they
provide their service.
10 years ago, we had the majority of conveyancers working on
a paper-based system with limited capability from their case
management systems.
Client portals where very rarely used and if they were they
were purely for rigid ‘milestone updates’ with no capability to
download or upload documents and no ability to communicate in
a meaningful way.
ID verification was taking hold, but it was pretty basic and nowhere
near the facilities we have today with many law firms still relying
solely upon sight of original forms of identification. The facilities
available now in relation ID verification, source of funds and AML
far outweigh any offering that was available at that time.
There is still a long way to go and so many areas that can and will be
improved in this industry but with the introduction of the UK Digital
Identity Trust Framework to make it quicker and easier for people to
verify themselves using modern technology and the announcement
of the Open Property Data Association which has been borne out
of the Home Buying and Selling Group to revolutionise the property
industry through innovative and collaborative data initiatives. The
future continues to look bright here.
Joe Pepper: The adoption of technology is often discussed as a
panacea for all the ills in the conveyancing industry, but in reality,
technology is simply a toolbox, and the real opportunity comes in
the form of which tools in that box you feel will help you the most.
And the real problem is that we have over 4,000 decision-makers
selecting tools in isolation without considering the wider ecosystem
that we inhabit as an industry. On every transaction there
are other people and parties that we need to interact with, each
one of which has their own bespoke requirements and technology.
This has created an army of processes, which slows us all down and
creates confusion which in itself puts the transactions that people
put their hearts and souls into in jeopardy, which is why we suffer
so many fall-throughs and why buying a house is regularly ranked
second only to divorce in the individual stress league.
“‘Technology is not a nice to have, it’s
an essential ingredient in what you do.”
Put simply, it doesn’t need to be like this. Openness and
transparency are key to a successful transaction. When
companies carry out large transactions they typically use a
data room, into which all relevant documentation is placed so
that each professional has access to the document required
in real-time, and the principle could and should apply in the
world of conveyancing as well, which is typically a very large
transaction for the individuals concerned. Case Management
Systems are fine, but they only operate internally and are
rarely connected to the other parties. This is where system
interoperability becomes crucial. All systems should be built with
integration in mind, which is an approach we’ve been taking
at TM Group for many years. We have a website which literally
gives other technology vendors a ‘paint-by-numbers’ approach
to integration. I am continually astounded by the number of
firms who have technology vendors who either can’t or won’t
enable integration with other systems – they are your vendors
and should be doing what you ask!
Heather Crichton: Ten years ago, the main, if only, tool used
by law firms was a case management system. Fast forward to
now, the adoption of technology has made the sector almost
unrecognisable – and not without good reason.
The smart phone revolution has changed consumer
expectations for service, injecting a greater sense of urgency,
which has crept into conveyancing, driving change to improve
customer outcomes.
But changing consumer behaviour is not the only factor. The
pandemic turbocharged tech adoption as the industry grappled
with record transactions and the challenges of adjusting to
remote working. It allowed the industry to keep functioning.
At the same time, firms have leant heavily on tech to meet
increasing regulatory burdens. Without it, many would struggle
with compliance.
It also continues to play a part in how the industry changes
its behaviour to meet the challenges of climate change.
Going paperless, video technology, and the advent of identity
verification apps have all helped conveyancers looking to
reduce their carbon footprint, as well as boosting efficiency.
Globalisation has played a role, allowing us to learn from
different markets. For instance, in Australia over the last decade,
we have seen the industry transition to digital conveyancing,
and we’re proud to have supported that. Thousands of firms
across the country now undertake their housing completions
online. And we’re working with the industry to bring this
experience to the UK.
1. Landmark Information Group Property Transaction Report 2022
Conveyancing is notorious for being
a pressure cooker environment for
people working in the industry;
how has tech eased the speed and
workflow in the industry and relieve
pressure from workers?
Rob Gurney: Workflow systems have relieved some of the
pressure. However, we know that most property transactions are
too complex and convoluted. Bottlenecks are created by rapid
fluctuations in the pipeline, but we need to attract and retain more
talent in the sector to really get to the crux of the issue. Every
time there is a downturn in the sector, we lose experienced people
to other professions. When the market returns, firms are further
squeezed as they work to sustain what can be very tight margins.
When the sector experiences an upturn, there’s an inevitable
scramble to recruit new talent as the market quickly hits a
ceiling on how many transactions can be processed using
current capacity. Finding the sweet spot between the value
that technology and humans can each best offer will produce
substantial time savings. Only then will the sector truly be able to
meet the expectations of the modern consumer and reverse the
current trends of delays and dissatisfaction.
Heather Crichton: Buying and selling a home can be a stressful
and lengthy process. Increasing regulatory requirements have
added further layers to the process, against a backdrop of rising
transaction volumes– no one will forget the 2021 stamp duty
stampede. This mean case numbers – and what is required for
each case – have grown.
With firms’ budget finite, tech is really the only game in town to
drive sufficient efficiency savings, boost capacity in law firms and
improve the process for conveyancers and consumers alike. Digital
identity verification has satisfied compliance requirements and
sped up the process for conveyancers. Caseflow tools increasingly
integrate with other in-market solutions, as well as the likes of
HMLR, reducing rekeying. Apps have served as a way to provide
updates to clients on their transactions – improving channels of
communication for customers.
There is more to come. PEXA launched its remortgage proposition in
September last year and is targeting delivery of a sale and purchase
offering next year. We bring lenders and law firms together in a
collaborative online environment where they can prepare applications
for registration and exchange funds via PEXA Pay, a payment scheme
purpose-built for property transactions. While it’s early days for us in
the UK, in Australia we have seen requisition rates fall to a negligible
rate, post-completion work dwindle, and a superior customer
experience afforded to buyers and sellers. We’re looking forward to
working with industry in the UK to achieve similar benefits.
62 63

FORUM
FORUM
How can conveyancing firms use data to improve their services?
How can conveyancing firms keep client’s data safe?
Angela Hesketh: Conveyancing firms can leverage data in many
ways to improve their services and enhance efficiency. Here are
some keyways in which data can be utilised:
1. Performance Analytics: By analysing data on their past
performance, conveyancing firms can gain insights into areas
where they can improve efficiency and reduce bottlenecks.
They can identify common challenges, track key performance
indicators (KPIs) such as turnaround times, and make datadriven
decisions to optimize their processes.
2. Process Optimisation: Data analysis can help identify
inefficiencies in the conveyancing process. By analysing the
time taken for each step, firms can identify bottlenecks and
streamline workflows.
3. Risk Assessment: Data can be used to assess and mitigate risks
associated with property transactions. By analysing historical
data on properties, firms can develop a firm wide property risk
assessment which enables them more effectively to manage
their risk going forward.
4. Compliance and Regulatory Requirements: By leveraging
data analytics tools, firms can monitor changes in lender
requirements, track compliance with regulatory standards,
and ensure adherence to industry best practices. This
helps mitigate legal risks and maintain a high level of
professionalism.
5. Client Communication and Engagement: Data can assist
conveyancing firms in understanding client communication
preferences, feedback, communication patterns, and
transaction history to facilitate a better service that meets and
exceeds their customer’s needs.
6. By harnessing the power of data, conveyancing firms can
make informed decisions, streamline processes, enhance risk
management, and provide better services to their clients.
“‘Tech is really the only game in town
to drive sufficient efficiency savings,
boost capacity in law firms and
improve the process.”
Joe Pepper: Lenders have always looked at properties as assets,
but in recent years they have been looking at them more and
more as a digitised asset based on data, and that will inevitably
become a more consistent perspective as data becomes more
readily available on properties, and parties will start to use
business rules to make decisions faster and to highlight any
potential issues around the transaction much earlier on. Collecting
material information on the property at the outset of marketing
the property is a start, and conveyancers should be looking to
take onboard all that information at the point of quoting for work,
or failing that at instruction. A former boss once told me the key
to being successful in business is to avoid being a busy fool, and
unfortunately, the conveyancing industry in particular is all too
often willing to take work on without understanding the work
involved, which means the business has to work far too hard for
an insufficient return, and which can all too often mean that the
business maybe too busy to fight for the profitable work. A lack
of profit equates to a lack of investment, and firms end up in a
vicious rather than a virtuous cycle.
At this stage, technology is not a nice to have, it’s an essential
ingredient in what you do, but you can’t deliver that change in
isolation from the rest of the industry. Firms need to make sure
that their technology is connected to the rest of the industry,
and to all parties involved in the transaction so that we can start
creating small but secure data spaces into which each party has
access to the information that they need to make the transaction
happen, and hopefully quicker.
Rob Gurney: With more conveyancers working from home post
pandemic, workflow systems ensure that best practice is being
applied to caseloads. In fact, Landmark research 2 found that 85%
of firms said that the pandemic accelerated the adoption of new
technology. From a regulatory point of view, using these systems
is the only way to mandate a minimum level of consistency.
The data that feeds that platform is also a powerful management
information tool. We all know that progress chasing or being
chased can be a huge drain on time for all involved, so giving
estate agents and customers visibility of a transaction can vastly
improve ways of working with key stakeholders. Our research
found that 77% of conveyancers stated that automation had
improved their levels of customer service for buyers and sellers by
providing a more transparent process 1 .
1. Digital transformation in residential conveyancing – September 2022
Heather Crichton: As Warren Buffet famously said, “it takes 20
years to build a reputation, and five minutes to ruin it.” He could
easily have been talking about the importance of cyber and data
protection. Every day, we’re confronted with stories about cyberattacks,
so having the right digital protection in place is critical.
But it is not simply a digital issue. Physical client data must not
be overlooked. Developing a plan to go paperless, or ‘paper light’
will help reduce the risk of physical data being compromised.
And where that’s not possible, to ensure the right controls are in
place to ensure the physical security of sensitive client data in the
office, and by limiting what is posted.
Software used must meet appropriate cyber standards, use data
encryption, and leverage good access control, including MFA,
while being hosted with a reputable cloud provider. Firms should
undertake due diligence on software providers, looking – for
example – for SOC2 compliance.
It is not just a case of “once and done”. On an ongoing
basis, conveyancers should ensure phones and laptops and
any operating systems receive regular software updates so
vulnerabilities can’t be exploited. Cyber security training is
important, especially on how to spot email phishing attempts.
Geo-blocking may also be worth considering, while use of public
Wi-Fi for work purposes should be limited (but if it must be used,
a VPN may provide some comfort).
PEXA is a secure cloud-based platform, and security is of the
utmost importance to us. Our customers (being regulated lenders
and legal practices) participate in a robust due diligence process
as a prerequisite to their onboarding with us, in addition to
meeting the requirements of their own regulators.
Additionally, our Security Operations Centre constantly monitors
user access and use of the platform, looking for deviations from
normal behaviour, swiftly following up on anything requiring
attention to ensure our customers and their clients – consumers –
are kept safe.
“Every day, we’re confronted with stories
about cyberattacks, so having the right
digital protection in place is critical.”
Rob Gurney: Even the latest and most advanced software won’t
entirely eliminate the threat of property fraud. Cyber attacks
are increasingly sophisticated and there will always be a risk
from unintended breaches caused as much by human error as
electronic attack. Social engineering is the cyber world phrase
for attack by the equivalent of tricking staff into breaching
security. So, with a “deter and detect” strategy, combined with a
continuous programme of staff training, firms can make life much
more difficult for the would-be fraudsters.
By implementing a suite of security systems, conveyancers will
have multiple chances to stop attacks from taking place. Although
no security system is perfect, over three quarters of firms (78%)
told us that automation has helped them to improve their risk
management 2 . Crucially, demonstrating this kind of diligent and
robust approach will also go some way in satisfying insurers if a
claim needs to be made.
Joe Pepper: Security of data is often cited as a concern, but
reality is that modern cloud-based systems are typically far more
secure than old-fashioned on-premise systems. Firms should
look to work with businesses that are ISO27001 accredited, which
is the level of data security expected of vendors working with
lenders. This is only going to grow as the trend for home-buyers
themselves to become more involved in the process continues
to increase. Connecting the different technologies with a secure
layer designed around the needs of the customer is the only way
in which the industry can meet the ever-increasing demands
being put on it without becoming weighed down even further by
process management and regulation.
“The pandemic turbocharged tech adoption as the industry grappled with record
transactions and the challenges of adjusting to remote working.”
64
65

10 MINS WITH
Hannah Ford
Q
What
Minutes With...
is your most memorable achievement
whilst working in your current role?
A memorable achievement is being made up to Partner at
Stevens & Bolton in 2017, which was a real career milestone
having joined the firm as a Trainee Solicitor. I was made up to
Partner at a point when I had two pre-school age children, and
whilst working part time. I felt hugely supported. Being ‘home
grown’ there was a real sense of affection and celebration
within the firm, many of the Partners having played a pivotal
role in my career and its progression. Our (now) Senior Partner
interviewed me when I was a fresh faced 21-year-old straight off
the train from Cardiff. I can remember rattling the teacup with
nerves during the interview - although he’s never mentioned
it! I think what is striking about Stevens & Bolton is that I felt
equally valued and ‘seen’ when I was a trainee as I do now as
a Partner. The culture here is completely unique, and hugely
motivating.
QWhat has been the most valuable piece of
advice you’ve ever been given?
This would have to be from one of our corporate tax Partners
(who’s as smart as a whip!), who often says, “a rising tide lifts
all boats.” It’s a reminder that we’re all in it together, and to
celebrate the big and little wins of your colleagues. Chapter 8 of
Caitlin Moran’s “More than a Woman”, is also a must read and
really struck a chord with me as a working mum.
QWhat has been the key positive or negative
impact of change in your area of the market?
A key change with a negative impact was the introduction of
the Employment Tribunals fees system in 2013. The change
meant that Claimants had to pay a fee to issue a Tribunal claim
and also pay a separate Hearing Fee. This was a bleak spell
for employees seeking access to justice, many of whom who
found the fees unaffordable because they were out of work.
They were a regressive step in terms of ‘equality of arms’
between employer and employee and led to a sharp decline in
Employment Tribunal litigation. Fees were abolished in 2017 and
if they were to return in the future, I hope that lessons have
been learnt so that they do not act as a barrier to justice.
QIf you were not in your current position, what
would you like to be doing?
I fancy myself on the stand-up comedy circuit but, I have no
idea how that would fly! I’ve got masses of material, mainly
involving Surrey village life, and my suboptimal parenting
attempts. I could see a routine come together which is a bit
Motherland meets the Vicar of Dibley.
“Stevens & Bolton is a place where you
can bring your ‘whole self’ to work.”
Q
What
three items would you put on display in
a museum of your life and why?
First, I’d include a Guildford Lido Season Ticket, which has
a 50-metre outdoor pool and is an oasis of calm just 10
minutes from the office. I can often be found there, racing
my septuagenarian father most summers - he normally wins,
but I’m catching up…2023 will be my year! I’d also have to
include the second hand BabyBjorn carrier I carried my two
boys around in when they were little, and once power washed
the patio wearing – multi-tasking has always been a strength.
Finally, I couldn’t forget the gold sequinned jumpsuit I wore to
our Stevens & Bolton Partners conference in 2021. It’s safe to
say that Stevens & Bolton is a place where you can bring your
‘whole self’ to work, and the jumpsuit is a happy reminder of
that.
QWhat three guests would you invite to a
dinner party?
Miriam Margolyes, for obvious reasons including her
unvarnished honesty and wit. The inspiring lawyer, Miriam
González Durántez, who I have always admired from afar,
particularly for her work in founding “Inspiring Girls” – a
campaign to connect British girls with female role models in the
UK. I feel the pressure for a hat trick of Miriams but third would
have to be Paul Heaton of The Housemartins and Beautiful
South, for his dry sense of humour and life story plus, I’d
persuade him to sing “Caravan of Love” over an espresso at the
end of the night.
Hannah Ford, Partner, Stevens & Bolton
ARE YOU
READY TO GO
‘BACK TO
THE FUTURE’?
Bringing property professionals together
to reflect on another challenging year
and how we can be bravely move forward
together in the face of yet more uncertainty.
850 property professionals completed the report this year,
here are a few of their quotes:
“More automation -
to make the transaction
more streamlined.”
“An increase in the understanding of
the whole process (who does what
and why) by the home mover clients.”
DOWNLOAD THE
REPORT TODAY AT:
tmgroup.co.uk/back-to-the-future/
“More Upfront Information from
sellers - perhaps agents arranging
for standard forms to be completed.”
66

Changing the
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t. 07471 017044
e. angela@amitylaw.co.uk
To download our FAQ fact base, visit
amitylaw.co.uk/lifestyle
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