OBE KC (Hon), President, Society for Computers & Law, professor, speaker, author, (eg, Tomorrow's Lawyers & with
@DanielSusskind
, The Future of the Professions)
Some book news. I've now finished writing the THIRD EDITION of TOMORROW'S LAWYERS. Extensively revised and updated, it's being published by Oxford University Press (
@OUPLaw
) in February 2023.
It’s time to come together, globally, to accelerate the introduction of virtual and online courts. We have no choice. Physical courts are closing. There is little merit in lamenting the lack of past investment nor in predicting that the technology will fail. Let’s make it happen.
Just this minute finished writing my new book - Online Courts and the Future of Justice - and sent the ‘manuscript’ to
@OUPAcademic
. Published later in the year.
After 25 years, I've decided to step down as Technology Adviser to the Lord Chief Justice. I advised 6 successive LCJs, starting with Lord Bingham in '98. It's been the great privilege of my career to advise the senior Judiciary on legal & court technology
Just signed a contract with Oxford University Press (
@OUPCommLaw
) for my tenth book, which is provisionally entitled ONLINE COURTS AND THE FUTURE OF JUSTICE. It is well under way and will be published next year.
Launched today: REMOTE COURTS WORLDWIDE (), to help the global community of justice workers share experiences of 'remote' alternatives (audio, video, online) to traditional courts. Joint effort -
@computersandlaw
@HMCTSgovuk
and UK LawTech Delivery Panel.
My new book, 'Online Courts and the Future of Justice', comes out 2 weeks tomorrow, on 14th Nov. It predicts a transformation in the world of litigation, proposes a solution to the access to justice problem, and considers whether AI might replace judges -
We now have news of online court activity from more than 40 countries on . We are moving to a new phase - gathering user stories about what is working well and what is not. These stories will inform court service of the future. All contributions welcome.
I have a column about AI and law in
@thetimes
today. Here are some brief extracts:
"The main social benefit of legal AI will not be in making lawyers more efficient but in empowering people who are not lawyers to handle their own legal affairs" ...
See
In a new paper, 'The Future of Courts', I discuss the impact of the virus on courts worldwide. I explain 'remote courts', call for 'front-ends', and suggest how courts should plan for the future. Published in Harvard Law School's 'The Practice' (
@HLS_CLP
):
I am beyond proud that my dad
@richardsusskind
has been made an honorary KC. He has worked for decades behind the scenes to help bring our justice system into the 21st century.
Announcing: the FIRST INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ONLINE COURTS on 3 & 4 Dec, 2018, London. I am pleased to be co-chairing with
@CEOofHMCTS
. Co-organised & hosted by
@computersandlaw
&
@HMCTSgovuk
. Welcome speech by Lord Chief Justice. Register interest at
Exceptionally proud of my daughter, Alexandra (
@ali_susskind
), who graduated today from LSE (
@LSEnews
) with an MSc in social and cultural psychology.
After almost 40 years of related work, ONLINE COURTS AND THE FUTURE OF JUSTICE is published in the UK today by
@OUPLaw
. Available now at
Worldwide, courts are not accessible. My book suggests a new way, one that I believe will transform litigation.
Some reassurance. Courts will close & judges will work remotely. I've spent my working life on this (see my book, 'Online Courts and the Future of Justice') & am confident judges can deliver just decisions working online. In E&W we have been preparing
@RobertBuckland
@CEOofHMCTS
Heading home from Brazil, where they have 1 million lawyers, 1200 law schools, a backlog of 100 million court cases, and 100 lawtech companies. A mountain to climb but their lawtech community is vibrant and pointing in the right direction.
I keep getting asked if I discuss ChatGPT in the new (3rd) edition of Tomorrow's Lawyers. I do talk about GPT-3 but the chat version came out after the final manuscript went in. For now ... Chat-GPT is the most remarkable system I've seen in more than 40 years of working on AI.
Today is my 10th anniversary on Twitter. I am sure I learn much more than I contribute - it has become my main way of keeping up to date. Thank you to my followers.
As courts close everywhere and remote hearings are held, many are worried about the openness and fairness of these hearings. These issues are addressed at length in chapters 19 and 20 of my book, ONLINE COURTS AND THE FUTURE OF JUSTICE (
@OUPLaw
). I hope my conclusions reassure.
Books news:
@danielsusskind
and I have just finished our updated edition of THE FUTURE OF THE PROFESSIONS. Summarises developments in 10 professions and in tech generally, considers impact of Covid on professionals, digs into realities of 'innovation'. Out in spring
@OUPAcademic
Thanks to everyone who has sent news and user stories to Remote Courts Worldwide (). We now have updates from 50+ jurisdictions. Our court systems, globally, are changing, and we can see a glimmer here of how we might overcome the access to justice problem.
Here are the slides from my keynote address at the 16th International Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Law, held in London last year, including a 15-point manifesto for the research community -
Signing a deal today with Oxford University Press
@OUPLaw
for the publication of a 3RD EDITION OF TOMORROW'S LAWYERS. Out in Spring 2022. A major re-write and update, along with new chapters on lawtech start-ups, innovation, the impact of Covid, and the four dimensions of lawtech
Hard to know where to start. In fact I said that online courts offer the promise of a new kind of transparent dispute resolution for many people who are excluded today; & that I can find no theoretical (jurisprudential or constitutional) barriers to disposing of some cases online
My grandfather was murdered by the Nazis. My dad was a German refugee. He found safety in Scotland and took comfort in Israel as a homeland for Jews. In turn, I grew up expecting that Jews would never be slaughtered again.
This short article, in the British Academy Review, outlines my latest way of thinking about AI, the professions, jobs, and online courts. I call the approach 'outcome-thinking' and this mindset underpins my next book and other current work -
Book update. 3rd edition of TOMORROW'S LAWYERS will be published by
@OUPLaw
on 21 February in UK and 7 March in US. Keep getting asked the significance of the flames on front cover. What do YOU think? 1st prize for best answer - a signed copy of the book (2nd prize - two copies).
I was meant to be in Harvard next week, doing a US launch of 'Online Courts and the Future of Justice'. Instead, I am doing a virtual book talk and you are all invited. It's at noon (ET) on 23 April. Response by Chief Justice Gants (Mass. SC). Register at
In my column in today's
@thetimes
I talk about the impact of Covid-19 on law firms and the courts. Much more to come from me on this in the weeks ahead, not least in relation to virtual and online courts -
If you are in Oxford tomorrow at 2.30pm, I am launching my new book, 'Online Courts and the Future of Justice' at the Oxford Internet Institute (
@oiioxford
). Do come along -
I've been invited to give evidence at 3.30pm today to the House of Lords Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence (). The paper I submitted previously ('Artificial Intelligence - Challenges for Policymakers') is available at
Technology takes & gives. Last week I gave a virtual book talk at Harvard (
@HLS_CLP
). I missed being together in one room and the chat later with friends. I didn’t miss the travel. And 1500 people were able to join us from all corners. It's now on YouTube:
Greatly looking forward to tomorrow's First International Forum on Online Courts in London. I am co-chairing with
@CEOofHMCTS
. The event is co-hosted by
@computersandlaw
&
@HMCTSgovuk
. My opening slide: "more people in the world have access to the internet than access to justice"
1 week update. We now have news from 20 countries on REMOTE COURTS WORLDWIDE, a site that helps the global community of justice workers share experiences of 'remote' alternatives (audio, video, online) to traditional courts (
@computersandlaw
@HMCTSgovuk
) -
Honoured to be asked to chair Lord Chief Justice's new Advisory Group on AI: 10-person team with judges (inc Lord Neuberger, past President of UK Supreme Court; Sir Geoffrey Vos, Chancellor of High Court; Sharp LJ, Vice-Pres of QBD) and experts on AI/law -
Please read “Jews Don’t Count” by David
@Baddiel
. Better yet, according to
@ali_susskind
is the audio version. Either way, it’s a crucial, disturbing, and moving contribution to our understanding of why antisemitism is so wrongly regarded as a low-grade type of racism ...
My virtual book talk at Harvard, on 'Online Courts and the Future of Justice' is tomorrow at 5pm (UK time). A response is being given by Chief Justice Gants (Mass. SC). You are all invited. Register in advance at
Launched today: REMOTE COURTS WORLDWIDE, to help the global community of justice workers share experiences of 'remote' alternatives (audio, video, online) to traditional courts. A joint effort -
@computersandlaw
,
@HMCTSgovuk
and UK LawTech Delivery Panel -
I gave evidence today to the Constitution Committee of the House of Lords. The subject was the 'constitutional implications of COVID-19'. The focus was on remote courts. It was the first time I've worn a tie in yonks. You can see my tie and the session at:
I was saddened beyond words to learn that Sir Brian Neill has passed away, aged 94. A former Court of Appeal judge, he was the father of court technology, a mentor and inspiration to many of us at
@computersandlaw
, and as kind a human being as I have had the privilege to know.
Here is my first public lecture (around 1 hour) on my book, 'Online Courts and the Future of Justice' (
@OUPAcademic
@OUPLaw
). Given at CTC 2019, the court technology conference in New Orleans. Thanks to the National Center for State Courts (
@StateCourts
) -
I've just finalised the proofs for the revised paperback edition of my book, Online Courts and the Future of Justice (
@OUPLaw
). I've written a major update to take account of the widespread use of remote hearings during Covid. Out in June.
Next Wednesday (20 May, 5-7pm, UK time),
@danielsusskind
and I are joining
@jack_newton
(of
@goclio
) to discuss "COVID-19 and The Future of the Professions". We will be talking through our "five phases of recovery". Register (no fee) for this webcast at
Off to Glasgow tomorrow for a 40th law school reunion. We've all been asked to email ahead some memories. One guy's was this: "Accompanying Richard Susskind to the first promotion of Lexis (1980) ... and telling him that I didn't think it would catch on. He disagreed"
@LexisNexis
I have two books coming out this year with any luck - ONLINE COURTS AND THE FUTURE OF JUSTICE in November and an updated version of THE FUTURE OF THE PROFESSIONS (co-author,
@danielsusskind
) in July. Both being published by Oxford University Press (
@OUPAcademic
).
The Twitter feed for Remote Courts Worldwide is now up and running - . (Yesterday we launched , to help justice workers share their news and experiences of moving from traditional to remote court hearings. The support has been great.)
Just finished giving the keynote talk at the 2019 Harvard Legal Technology Symposium, organised by
@harvard_techlaw
- great event and remarkably good selection of cakes at the back of the room.
So very proud of Jamie. This is the 6th time this book prize has been awarded. Past winners include 2 Nobel Prize winners (
@JosephEStiglitz
), as well as
@nfergus
and Francis Fukuyama.
The rabbits are guarding the lettuce. As a generality, asking professionals how AI might impact their work tells us more about the professionals than the future of their work. As Aristotle once said, the guest is a better judge of the feast than the cook. Or words to that effect.
I’ve been using ChatGPT a lot. We don’t have a specific vocabulary to capture two strong inclinations I have towards this non-sentient service: (1) to be polite (say please and thank you to it); and (2) to apologise for troubling the system when I repeatedly ask for changes.
I’m very pleased to have been asked by the Civil Justice Council, & its chair the Master of the Rolls, to lead a new Futures Group. Our mission is to take & encourage a long-term view of the impact of technology on the administration of justice. Details at
I am interviewed about my work with
@danielsusskind
in this podcast - 'What is the future of the professions?' - by political scientist, Prof. Glyn Davis, Vice Chancellor at the University of Melbourne, as part of The Policy Shop series (
@The_PolicyShop
) -
At LegalUK (
@LegalUK_
), we are calling for the establishment of a National Institute for Legal Innovation - to co-ordinate and intensify the UK's investment in lawtech and innovation. The
@FT
has run a story on this - . Expect much more on this during 2022
Out this week in UK: new edition of THE FUTURE OF THE PROFESSIONS by me &
@danielsusskind
(
@oupacademic
). We summarise recent developments in 10 professions & in tech generally, consider impact of Covid on professionals & expose realities of 'innovation':
Coming very soon now. The 3rd edition of my book TOMORROW'S LAWYERS (
@OUPLaw
) will appear the week after next in the UK on 7th FEBRUARY and early in March in the US. Available at Amazon (UK) -
Next week, on 30 April at 3pm (UK time), we are launching 'The Uncertain Decade', a series of four online video discussions with me and Mark Cohen (
@legalmosaic
). Produced by
@wearelegalgeek
. Entrance is free. Sign up at
Excited to announce 'The Uncertain Decade' - a series of live, interactive, online video discussions with my friend, Mark Cohen (
@legalmosaic
). Produced by LegalGeek (
@wearelegalgeek
), the first one is at 3pm (UK time), 30 April. Entrance is free -
I really enjoyed 'First Man', the new movie about the first moon landing. 20 years ago, I had the privilege of meeting Buzz Aldrin (
@TheRealBuzz
). Notice in the photo I was wearing a Homer Simpson tie for the occasion, chosen specially by
@danielsusskind
(11) &
@jamiesusskind
(9)
Just received my first copy of my new book. Much as I tried to keep it brief, the third edition (out on Tuesday) is quite a bit bigger. Available on Amazon UK at
Yesterday I went to an up-beat meeting, organised by Ministry of Justice
@MoJGovUK
and
@beisgovuk
. Entitled 'LawTech: Preparing UK Students for Careers in Law'. In my bit, I asked 'what are we training young lawyers to become?' Great video talk by
@DeanDBRodriguez
from the US