Check out this new user interface and functionality from Neota Logic’s portal, Workbench. There’s a video demo.
From Sterne Kessler: Global Patent Prosecution Newsletter – October 2018: Subject Matter Eligibility of Artificial Intelligence Patent Applications in the United States, Europe, and China. “This article surveys subject-matter eligibility requirements of AI patent applications in the United States, Europe, and China.”
This article appears in Law Week Colorado: AI in IP Opens Questions of Liability. “Artificial intelligence is filling the role of attorneys at law firms more and more. And that includes in situations that could get a law firm into trouble.” David London of Hogan Lovells is interviewed.
Yolanda Cartusciello contributed this piece to LexisNexis’s Business of Law Blog: AI in the Legal Sector. It’s a brief summary of the state of AI in the industry as discussed at the Somerville Forum this past June followed by her thoughts as to where we’re headed and how fast.
- Dan Bindman posted: Clients ‘must be told whether legal advice is AI or human’. “Sir Geoffrey Vos, the Chancellor of the High Court cautioned: ‘We will, as a necessary safeguard, need to introduce systems that allow the client to know when they are receiving advice generated by [AI] and when they are receiving advice that emanates from a human lawyer.'”
From Kennedys: Artificial Intelligence: time for Alternative Insurance? “AI goes across every aspect of insurance, but here we concentrate on the three sectors we consider it has particular impact.” They are construction, healthcare and transport. “AI offers many opportunities, including a reduction of certain risks. Insurers will need to accommodate the shift in allocation of risk and new policies will need to reflect the changes in behaviours to enable the insurance market to benefit from all that AI can offer.”
International Family Law Group launch Australian AI technology. “Settify allows clients to provide information on their relationship status anywhere, any time. The online system will assimilate this information and provide a clear set of instructions for the lawyers. This is particularly beneficial for clients as it cuts initial costs and helps to speed up the process of their case.” “Created by family lawyers and launched in Melbourne in February 2017, Settify has won more than 3,400 new matters for its partner firms, representing legal disputes worth more than AUD7.2bn (£4bn) in aggregate. The technology has won several awards for innovation and is now ‘the new norm’ in Australia and New Zealand, with over 100 firms adopting the system since its inception, including most of the independently ranked ‘top tier’ and ‘pre-eminent’ firms.” More here.
Here’s more on Suffolk University Law School’s Learned Hands, “a new game that will help train an artificial intelligence model to spot legal issues and help close the access-to-justice gap.” “(T)he game takes 75,000 legal questions posted on Reddit dealing with family, consumer, criminal and other legal issues and asks the user to determine what the issue is.”
- Mike Quartararo posted: Are Humans The Weak Link In Technology-Assisted Review? “If there is any shortcoming of TAR technologies, the blame may fairly be placed at the feet (and in the minds) of humans.”
This from the ALA’s Legal Management magazine: AI Shaping the Way Law Firms Function. The article is something of a primer, beginning with a definition of AI, then how AI is being used in law firms, followed by the question of AI and jobs, and ending with the suggestion that firms can gain competitive advantage via AI.
Kenneth Jones of Tanenbaum Keale posted: How Bridging The Gap Between Legal Operations And Technology Entities Is Benefiting The Legal Industry. “We in the legal technology field are seeing more and more unique combinations of entities working to deliver process improvements in the industry. It is important to note that the tighter alignment between legal and technology professionals — two classes of professionals who traditionally speak very different languages — seems to be a symbiotic relationship which is yielding better technology applications and services as time goes on. Bridging this gap seems to be an organizational strategy which is benefiting the industry as a whole.” Jones explores various aspects of this relationship in some depth.
Here’s a case study from iManage/RAVN: Howard Kennedy Improves Knowledge Management with iManage RAVN Insight.
Press release: “The California Lawyers Association (CLA) and Fastcase today announced a partnership that will provide free access to Fastcase’s nationwide legal research system for all members of the nation’s largest statewide voluntary bar association.”
From another vendor, Litera, this news: “Litera Microsystems has announced that Litera Desktop, its full document drafting suite, continues to replace multiple vendors at firms around the world. So far this year, firms totaling nearly 20,000 users have replaced multiple point solutions with a single vendor. These firms, including leading global law firm Clifford Chance, are experiencing how the full document drafting suite delivers greater client services.”
This is from the Thomson Reuters series AI Experts. Recognizing the limitations of artificial intelligence. It’s a thoughtful (and not completely optimistic) discussion of the state of AI and its future, with a serious dose of ethics and governance thrown in.
According to this story from CBS, Robocop has arrived on the streets of NYC. At least this time he’s not armed. Robotic Security Forces On Patrol In NYC Prompt Privacy Concerns For Some.
- AI writes a law firm TV commercial: This Is Every Lawyer Ad. If this came on late at night, I doubt I’d notice anything amiss.
Blockchain
Here’s a bit of a breakthrough for you: Australian State of New South Wales Mandates Land Registry Shift to Blockchain by 2019. “The NSW Land Registry Services maintains the system that defines the legal ownership of both public and private land across the state, according to the report. As of the start of the new financial year, according to ZDNet, all NSW property transactions will be required, under the government’s directive, to be stored digitally, eliminating the need for paper-based Certificates of Title.”
From Hunton: Senate Banking Committee Explores Blockchain. “On October 11, 2018, the Senate Banking Committee held a wide-ranging hearing entitled “Exploring the Cryptocurrency and Blockchain Ecosystem.” The hearing featured testimony from Dr. Nouriel Roubini, an NYU professor who famously predicted the 2007-2008 financial crisis, as well as a counterpoint from Mr. Peter Van Valkenburgh, the Director of Research from Coin Center.”
From Bob Ambrogi: Starting Its Second Year, Global Legal Blockchain Group Unveils New Guides and World Tour of Briefings. “(W)ith the aim of further accelerating understanding and adoption of blockchain in legal, the GLBC is unveiling three initiatives for members: 1) A series of non-technical blockchain guides for law firms and legal departments. 2) A global series of 25 regional briefings on blockchain in law. 3) A free “Blockchain 101” course for legal professionals and staff. More here.
Thomson Reuters sponsored this post from The Guardian: Can blockchain shake up the legal sector for the better? “Blockchain – one of the buzzwords of the year – could help the legal system run more smoothly and efficiently. But data privacy and regulations may limit its impact.”