Advancing Access to Justice in a Digital Environment … Can Barristers play a part?

The ever changing legal landscape and environment holds no certainty for those providing legal services and in the digital age many believe that Google can provide all their answers of course, but in this digital environment the opportunities for barristers to play an active and innovative role has never been greater.

In many circumstances understanding how clients initially access legal services has changed  dramatically , most will undertake a search via their mobile or tablet and will almost certainly not include barristers in any way shape or form despite the obvious benefits in many cases of instructing them directly.

The innovative models emerging in this landscape are often tech based with a collaborative legal offering to widen the offering and this route of collaboration is proving to be the most effective and with new entrants who have significant backing they are leading the way in this exciting and emerging opportunity.

Here at Quartz Barristers, we have studied the increase of  direct access instructions over the last two years and are currently undertaking discussion and collaborating with like minded chambers across the country to discuss how best to place this offering with a leading tech business provider.

These discussions not only confirm the growth of such work streams but the need to collaborate for wider understanding and with a view to increase the offering to clients, including other professional service providers such as accountants , architects and many other commercial business offerings who see the advantage of added value to their clients for direct instruction.

Interestingly the recent BSB strategy document mentions the following;

“developed our understanding of how the profession has innovated in the delivery of legal services, especially in relation to technological change, and what this means for how we regulate. Unnecessary regulatory barriers to innovation that have been identified will have been removed (or be in the process of being removed)”

https://www.barstandardsboard.org.uk/media/1982191/bsb_strategic_plan_2019-22.pdf

Our discussions have produced many ideas, thoughts and intitiatives that are new , however,  what remains missing is the innovative tech link to drive these to the next level on a scale that will make a difference for all those happy to get involved and collaborate.

Whilst we continue to discuss these ideas and plan a route forward we would very much welcome the thoughts of other barristers and chambers.

If you would like to know more or get involved then please contact Paul Wright our CEO in the first instance;

pw@quartzbarristers.co.uk

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