The Cambridge Handbook of Lawyering in the Digital Age

The legal profession is being transformed by technology (legal tech), which provides perspectives from practitioners, academics, and legal tech companies from different legal systems. The book advocates for an unbiased, cautious approach for the engagement of technology in legal practice and addresses the core question of how to balance fears of industry takeover by technology with the potential for using legal tech to expand services and create value for clients.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 406 pages
Publication date: 22 June 2023
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

The legal profession is undergoing a significant transformation due to the increasing digitalization and advancements in artificial intelligence (AI). This transformation is referred to as legal tech, which is poised to revolutionize the way legal services are delivered and practiced. In this handbook, we explore these developments and the evolving legal landscape from the perspectives of practitioners, academics, and legal tech companies from various legal systems.

Legal tech has the potential to bring about numerous benefits, including increased efficiency, improved access to justice, and enhanced legal outcomes. However, it also raises important concerns, such as the potential for industry takeover by technology, the ethical implications of automation, and the need for regulatory frameworks to ensure fair and responsible use of AI.

One of the key themes of this handbook is the need for an unbiased and cautious approach to the engagement of technology in legal practice. We argue that legal tech should be approached as a tool to enhance the legal profession, rather than as a replacement for human expertise. This requires a comprehensive understanding of the costs and benefits of new technologies before they are implemented in legal practice.

To achieve this, the handbook presents a framework for analyzing the costs and benefits of new technologies before they are implemented in legal practice. This framework involves a multi-stakeholder approach, including practitioners, academics, legal tech companies, and regulatory bodies. By engaging with a diverse range of stakeholders, we can ensure that the benefits of legal tech are maximized while minimizing any potential negative impacts.

Another important theme of this handbook is the balance between fears of industry takeover by technology and the potential for using legal tech to expand services and create value for clients. We argue that legal tech can be used to enhance the services offered by lawyers and law firms, while also providing new opportunities for innovation and growth. This requires a collaborative approach between legal professionals and legal tech companies, as well as a willingness to embrace change and adapt to new technologies.

The handbook features contributions from a wide range of experts in the field of legal tech, including lawyers, social scientists, institutional officials, technologists, and current developers of e-law platforms and services. These contributions provide valuable insights into the current state of legal tech, as well as the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

In conclusion, the legal profession is on the verge of being transformed by legal tech, and this handbook provides a comprehensive examination of these developments and the changing legal landscape. By advocating for an unbiased and cautious approach to the engagement of technology in legal practice, as well as by promoting a balance between fears of industry takeover and the potential for using legal tech to expand services and create value for clients, we can ensure that the benefits of legal tech are maximized while minimizing any potential negative impacts.

ISBN-13: 9781009295727