The Future of Law

I attended an interactive webinar organised by Charles Ajiboye of Penthouse Law on 12^th May 2020.  The guest speaker was Ope Olugasa, the Chief Executive Officer of Law Pavilion – the leading provider of information technology solutions for the legal industry in Nigeria. I was intrigued by the topic – The Future of Law in Nigeria: The Emergence of a New Breed of Lawyers and Law Firms and was pumped up to receive all the nuggets! I was not disappointed.

I shared the key takeaways from the webinar on my Instagram page a few days ago. I am sharing it on the blog for the benefit of those who have not caught the Instagram bug. 😊 😊

Here goes:

COVID- 19 is redefining the legal landscape. Changes that would ordinarily have taken 5 years will now take 5 weeks.

1. What will change:

Court Engagement;

Client Engagement;

Law Firm Management;

Industrial Evolution/Revolution; and

Law Firm Collaborations.

2. Court engagement

E- filing of court processes;

Higher speed of processing using case management technology; and

Remote Hearings.

3. Client Engagement

Existing relationships : The way existing clients are managed  will change because clients’ needs and expectations will also change.

Virtual meetings: Clients may no longer visit law offices as much as they would have pre-COVID- 19. Most clients will now request for virtual meetings.

Anticipatory consultative engagement: There will now be real demand for subject matter expertise. So lawyers must carry out subject matter research, anticipate what the clients’ needs are, research on how the pandemic is affecting their client’s business and the sector in which they practice as a whole.

Acquisition of new relationships:  The mode of acquisition of new clients will change. Potential clients are now on the web, a lawyer’s web presence must thus be top notch. Web perception matters now more than ever.

4. Law Firm Management:

Remote work: Firms now need to digitize their operations. Learn how to use different applications to further their business.

Work process management and automation: Track employees’ hours to measure productivity as they work remotely.

Remote freelancing: Lawyers must sharpen their LinkedIn profile and have their general e-presence well positioned.

Document Management: Documents should be digitised so they can be accessed remotely. Consider e-libraries where employees can access information for required research remotely. There is an urgent need for efficient legal process automation systems.

5. Industrial evolution/revolution

Reduction in work space requirement: There will be an increase in demand for technology enabled spaces. Law firms will share work spaces and will not require more than 2 or 3 people in their offices per time.

Blockchain revolution: Smart contracts will start making their appearance now. Before COVID-19, it would have been thought that they would need between 4 to 5 years for widespread adoption.  Electioneering briefs will be built on blockchain technology. Lawyers that will remain relevant are those that know how to effectively use this technology.

6. Law firm collaborations

Law firm mergers: More law firms will merge their businesses.

Loose collaborations: Loose and virtual collaborations will be established. Main advantage will be how tech-driven you, your processes and practice are. Firms that have given painstaking attention to technology will be given priority. Collaborate! Live on collective intelligence.

Lawyers must become tech savvy!

Lawyers don’t need to become programmers, but they must understand how these programs work and how they enable or affect their area of practice.

Same way civil procedure rules changed in less than one month, most legal rules e.g. The Rules of Professional Conduct are likely to change to ensure that the effective practice of law is sustainable.

Technology is an enabler. Lawyers must be on top of their game. Being an authority in your area of practice but not being tech enabled is like winking in the dark. It is a disadvantage.