7 Key Legal Tech Trends To Watch in 2019

Business technology

Legal Tech trends will continue to buffet the legal business in 2019 – more than ever, in fact.   But in a review published by LexBlog, the changes remain significant with major players like Microsoft playing a role.

Each year, legal tech changes faster and faster. 

1. New Expectations:  The age of the client-centered law firm is here.

LexBlog point out that new technology brings new client expectations noting that the  2018 Legal Trends Report found that for most law firms, there’s a gap between what lawyers think clients want and what their clients actually want. Fifty seven percent of lawyers expect that their clients prefer to pay them in person, but only thirty nine per cent  of them actually do.

Clients expect the same excellent service that they get from companies like Amazon from any business they interact with, so law firms that can provide instant communication, thoughtful service, and all-around client-centered experiences will stand out from the rest.

Firms need to streamline their communication processes using new technology.

2. The platform-ization of legal tech

The use of apps and platforms is central to the new technology which means instead of wrestling with different programs and risking error with duplicate data entry, you can use tools as needed and access all of your information from one powerful platform.

. . platforms encourage those who develop legal tech tools to work together: By communicating via an Application Programing Interface (API), companies are better positioned to iterate, standardize, and build something that’s greater than the sum of its parts.

3. The enhanced requirements of online communication

Lawyers have a duty to comply with professional ethics rules well beyond the office and the courtroom. This includes online life as well, and in 2019, the need for lawyers to be mindful of how they communicate online will be more important than ever.

4. Knowing when to use chatbots (and when not to)

The use of both Artificial Intelligence and chatbots is on the rise in law firms, and laws about their use are starting to become “more nuanced” as well.  Some would argue that chatbots are a “lawyers’ best friend’.

 

For example, in California, there’s now a law that bans bots from misleading people into letting them believe they’re a real human.

. . take care to ensure you’re not using a bot to “incentivize a purchase or sale of goods or services,” and save nuanced, critical conversations for real humans.

5. Stricter privacy laws

The EU in particular has taken strict measures regarding data privacy laws, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in 2018 and new privacy rules coming into effect in California in 2020.

Privacy, confidentiality and related issues will become increasingly important and compliance will become essential.

6. Improving court technology

Increasingly sophisticated courtroom technology permitting digital filing, video conferencing and so forth will become even more prevalent in 2019.

It’s a worldwide trend, with courts in the UK, North America, Australia and New Zealand rapidly developing increasingly sophisticated digital technology in courtroom processes. 

7. Tech-supported diversity initiatives for law

A 2018 study found that female partners still make 24 per cent less than male partners in US law firms on average and comparable figures apply in the UK and other jurisdictions. 

LawFuel has regularly reported on issues of gender inequality and sexual harassment and the legal industry is beginning to take firm steps to counter the problem and address it sensibly and seriously.

Large tech companies continue to support this change. For example, Microsoft continues to incentivize its preferred provider firms to diversify their leadership, and celebrated the 10th anniversary of its law firm diversity program in 2018.

 

 


Basketball Coach Used His Position to Enrich Himself US Attorney Says

Tonybland

Bland, a Former University of Southern California Men’s Basketball Coach, Pled Guilty to Accepting a Cash Bribe in Return for Steering College Players on His Team to Corrupt Financial Advisers

Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that ANTHONY BLAND, a/k/a “Tony,” a former men’s basketball coach at the University of Southern California (“USC”), pled guilty in Manhattan federal court today to taking a cash bribe from athlete advisers in exchange for using his influence over USC college basketball players to retain the services of the advisers paying the bribes.  BLAND pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos.  Munish Sood, a financial adviser, previously pled guilty, pursuant to a cooperation agreement with the Government, in connection with this scheme. 

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said:  “As he admitted in court today, Tony Bland, a former USC men’s basketball coach, abused his position as a mentor and coach to student-athletes and aspiring professionals.  He treated his players not as young men to counsel and guide, but as opportunities to enrich himself.  Now Tony Bland awaits sentencing for his crime.”

According to the Complaint, the Indictment, statements made in court, and publicly available documents[1]:

BLAND, a former men’s basketball coach at USC, agreed to accept a cash bribe in connection with agreeing to exert his influence over student-athletes on USC’s Division I men’s basketball team to retain the services of the bribe-payers, including once the student-athletes entered the National Basketball Association.   BLAND’s co-defendants, with BLAND’s knowledge and approval, also funneled additional money to USC student-athletes and their families in connection with efforts to sign these potential professional athletes.

Beginning in or around July 2017, and continuing into September 2017, when BLAND was arrested, BLAND’s co-defendants paid and/or facilitated the payment of a cash bribe to BLAND in exchange for BLAND’s agreement to exert his influence over certain student-athletes BLAND coached at USC to retain BLAND’s co-defendant’s business management and/or financial advisory services once those players entered the NBA.  In particular, as BLAND told Christian Dawkins and Munish Sood, during a recorded meeting, in return for their bribe payment, “I definitely can get the players. . . .  And I can definitely mold the players and put them in the lap of you guys.”  In addition, and as part of the scheme, with BLAND’s knowledge and approval, Dawkins and Sood paid or facilitated the payment of an additional $9,000 directly to the families of two student-athletes at USC.  In return, BLAND facilitated a meeting between Dawkins and Sood and a relative of a different player attending USC for the purpose of pressuring that player to retain the financial services of Dawkins and Sood.

*                *                *

BLAND, 38, of Los Angeles, California, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery.  As a condition of his plea, BLAND agreed to forfeit $4,100.  The charge carries a maximum term of five years in prison.  The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.  Sentencing is scheduled for April 2, 2019, before Judge Ramos.

Mr. Berman praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Special Agents of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.

The case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit.  Assistant United States Attorneys Robert Boone, Noah Solowiejczyk, and Eli J. Mark are in charge of the prosecution.

The charges contained in the Indictment against Christian Dawkins, Merl Code, Emmanuel Richardson, and Lamont Evans are merely accusations, and Dawkins, Code, Richardson, and Evans are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  Trial is scheduled to commence against the other defendants on April 22, 2019.

Code and Dawkins are scheduled to be sentenced on March 5, 2019, by U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan in United States v. Gatto, No. 17 Cr. 686 (LAK), based on their conviction for participating in a separate wire fraud scheme to make payments to the families of men’s basketball student-athletes in connection with their decisions to matriculate in Adidas-sponsored Division I schools.

______________________

[1] The descriptions set forth below of conduct by BLAND’s co-defendants constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation with respect to BLAND’s co-defendants, including Christian Dawkins, Merl Code, Emmanuel Richardson, and Lamont Evans.

About The Author