Innovation and technology and how it can be harnessed to save legal aid in the face of funding cuts was the subject of a roundtable discussion joined by our Practice Director Jason Bruce.
The aim was to gather ideas and look past the cuts to how innovation in the legal market could better help firms improve service delivery, for a Legal Futures special report - Digital Dividends: Can innovation and technology save legal aid and access to justice?
Jason was one of 11 legal experts, including practice heads, lawyers, professors and business leaders, representing groups such as LawWorks, the Immigration Advice Centre, The Network for Justice and Clio, who discussed the past, present and future for the in-depth report.
The group highlighted the vital paper-free policies being put in place by many firms, such as Duncan Lewis Solicitors, and the increased adoption of innovative technologies.
However, Jason highlighted the need for companies to bear in mind the fact that some of the most vulnerable clients “were quite distrustful of video conferencing or simply did not have the means to access it” and the need for allowances to remain in place for that.
Speaking specifically about legal provision during the various lockdowns, he added: “For many, because of the sensitivity of their instructions, they still required that face-to-face instruction in the office.”
The panel broadly agreed that a balance must be struck in using technology to drive down costs and provide alternative means of supporting clients while not alienating those who do not have access to it.
Read the full report HERE