In the early stages of 2024, large commercial law firms found themselves battling numerous economic headwinds concurrently, a situation that continued through the end of the first quarter, as reported in Law.com International Edition. These firms have to grapple with diverse challenges such as issues of lockup, inflationary pressures, rising costs of retaining key talent,…
The ruling Georgian Dream party recently announced a controversial bill that threatens to limit the rights of LGTBQ+ individuals. They are presenting this legislation under the pretense of silencing what they perceive as “LGBT propaganda.” If passed, this bill would enforce wide-reaching changes to the constitution, including prohibitions on sex changes, adoption among same-sex couples,…
In the past two years, the European Union (EU) has introduced a series of legislations impacting tech companies including the DMA, DSA and DGA in 2022; and the DA and NIS2 from the previous year. As anticipation builds for the AI Act and eIDAS due later this year, concise understanding of these cryptic acronyms is…
As the evolution of digital landscapes continue, the role of pillar pages in content strategy intensifies. Often covering a broad and specific topic, pillar pages are surrounded by related content linked through internal links, forming what is commonly referred to as a ‘topic cluster’. This architecture, guided by advancements in search behaviors and adaptive methodologies…
The International Legal Technology Association (ILTA) has honored five prominent figures in the global legal technology sector as 2024 Influential Women in Legal Tech. These honorees have been celebrated for their meaningful mentoring roles and their significant impacts on the industry. This is the first time in the award’s history that all the winners are…
In the ever-evolving tax industry, technological solutions are becoming increasingly prevalent as firms aim to maximize efficiency and profitability. Sideman & Bancroft’s Travis Thompson posits that generative AI, in particular, may play a key role in this. He suggests that the technology has the potential to greatly enhance tax practices by handling more cases at…
Ivana Kovacevic, group general counsel for Australian gaming, wagering, and media company Tabcorp, provides some sage advice for fellow general counsels seeking to encourage legal tech adoption within their organizations: start with eSignatures. She points to the benefits of applications like DocuSign, which she says serves the business side of operations by streamlining the signing…
As professionals across the globe continue to seek ways to streamline their efficiency and enhance profitability, technology plays a pivotal role. This axiom holds especially true in the context of small law firms, whose technological strategies can drastically vary from their larger counterparts. One question that arises from this situation is how the legal tech…
The Council of Europe’s Venice Commission raised severe criticism on Hungary’s recent sovereignty protection law, hinting it as a potential threat to free discourse last Tuesday. Known for its rigorous legal analytical work, the commission has suggested repealing the said law (see Commission’s opinion). Hungary’s Act LXXXVIII on the Protection of National Sovereignty lies at…
In the pursuit of controlling soaring healthcare costs, employers who directly pay for their employees’ health claims are progressively pegging the prices to Medicare rates. This practice, known as reference-based pricing, is a novel method employers have been using to reduce hospitals’ high charges to commercial health plans, which are often significantly above what Medicare…
Legal departments across the globe often find themselves in a struggle to acquire limited company resources to fulfil their specific needs. Amid a bevy of competing proposals, it’s imperative to shine by going the extra mile when advocating for coveted resources. Navigating the complex corridors of resource allocation might feel daunting, but garnering the necessary…
State legislation in the legal field has taken a significant turn, with Washington becoming the second state in the U.S to adopt alternative routes to the bar, following in the footsteps of Arizona. These newly approved rules provide the pathway for aspiring legal professionals to demonstrate their legal proficiency without the traditional route of passing…
The Parliament of Kyrgyzstan recently passed a bill inspired by Russia’s “foreign agents” law, thereby escalating government supervision of non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Any recipient of foreign donations will now have to self-identify as a “foreign representative” and abide by rigorous guidelines when documenting their activities. This law predominantly targets NGOs receiving foreign funding, compelling such…
Public health institutions are grappling with substantial challenges as social media becomes an abundant source of misinformation and disinformation on critical topics, extending from Covid vaccines to climate change. A novel program at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health aims to curb this rising issue by targeting social media influencers on platforms such as…
Last month, the European Parliament gave its approval in principal to a new proposed regulation concerning standard essential patents (SEPs). These patents, vital components of standardized technologies such as 5G and Wi-Fi, could experience a makeover in terms of their licensing under this new proposal approved by the European Parliament and further explained by LexisNexis….
Earlier this week, the European Parliament passed the first-ever Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act. Garnering the approval of 85 percent of lawmakers, the Act sets out to address risks associated with AI while ensuring that AI systems continue to prioritize privacy, human dignity, and basic rights. This legislation fits into a broader strategy to promote trustworthy…
Welcome to the digital discussion of modern motherhood in the legal profession. Following our continuous series in partnership with MothersEsquire, we are delighted to welcome back Sarah Feldman Horowitz who shares her personal and professional evolution. As mothers would agree, the only constant in life is change. The journey through motherhood is a dynamic process…
In the realm of artificial intelligence (AI) adoption, law firms in Latin America appear to be gradually embracing the trend. Traditional apprehensions are being set aside as pilot programs are initiated and firms start taking cues from the early AI adopters in the US and Europe. In a prime example, the Spanish firm Cuatrecasas recently…
Successful businesses are always striving for increased efficiency and profitability, and technology appears to be the key tool in this endeavor. This is no different for small legal firms, who are increasingly showing interest in leveraging legal technologies to achieve their strategic objectives. However, the question of how small firms are adapting to the fast-evolving…
The recent spate of settlements against advertising and pharmaceutical manufacturing companies surrounding the sales and marketing of opioid drugs such as OxyContin has ignited interesting conversations around the role of promotion of these highly addictive drugs and its connection to the opioid crisis. Settlements, with cases ranging in value from $350 to $465 million, are…
Thomson Reuters is expanding its artificial intelligence (AI)-powered legal research tools with the U.K. introduction of CoCounsel Core, a stand-alone version of the legal assistant that does not require a Westlaw subscription. The technology firm also revealed plans to enhance its Westlaw Edge UK platform with an AI-Assisted Research function, which will roll out in…
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, despite being presented as a life-transforming reform of the tax code, has largely failed to fulfill its promise of stimulating job creation, investment or economic growth. This significant change in the tax rulebook has rather led to widespread and institutionalized corporate tax avoidance, with loopholes resulting in…
Increasing investment in generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) technologies by the world’s largest law firms is becoming evident. According to recent findings, almost every large-scale law firm anticipates their investment in Gen AI to escalate over the next five years. The information can be found in an article on LexisNexis. Gen AI technologies are increasingly…
For solo and small law firms, the dynamic arena of legal technology can be a landscape of both promise and peril, depending on their ability to adapt and adopt. Futuristic technologies such as generative AI can be potentially treacherous, but for those firms well-versed and comfortable with technology, a more efficient practice, superior client experiences,…
When considering the future of a child without parental care, two main legal options arise: adoption and guardianship. Adoption establishes a permanent legal relationship, whilst guardianship is typically a temporary arrangement that maintains the legal connection between a child and their birth parents. Both options involve distinct legal processes and emotional considerations. Adoption Process and…