Technology brings opportunity for legal profession says report
A major new report from the Law Society in England & Wales highlights the opportunities that technology is bringing to the legal profession.
"New technologies such as machine learning and advanced automation are reshaping the way the legal sector works," said Law Society president Robert Bourns.
The
report was launched this week and says that lawyers have huge opportunities to enhance the way they work and the service they offer clients. However, it raises questions such as whether solutions that allow clients to access more information for themselves offer nuanced information for their particular issue; something a human adviser can do.
The challenge for the legal profession, the Law Society says, is that while law firms may wait for others to pioneer new technologies, non-legal profession disruptors are keen to enter the space.
Bourns says the answer may be collaboration: "There are also opportunities to work ever more collaboratively in partnership with technology companies or universities to streamline our processes and drive efficiency.”
He says that the legal profession has a long history of innovating and will embrace the challenges of new technology.
Allen & Overy hires AstraZeneca GC as China IP head
International law firm Allen & Overy has hired David Shen to lead its China IP and life sciences practice based in China and Hong Kong.
Shen joins from multinational pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca where he was general counsel for China. He previously worked at Eli Lilly as Asia regional IP counsel.
A native Mandarin speaker, David was admitted to the Bar in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and is registered to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark office.
Dentons strengthens Chinese outbound investment capabilities
Dentons has hired Susan Wang to head its new China desk in Central and Eastern Europe.
She moves from the firm’s Beijing office to Budapest and will focus on cross-border M&A, private equity transactions, joint ventures, and other corporate initiatives, prioritizing Chinese inbound M&A activity into the CEE/SEE region.
Before joining Dentons, Wang was with Morrison Foerster in Shanghai and King & Wood Mallesons in Beijing.
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