Two major law firms based in the UK, Clifford Chance and DWF, have flatly banned the printing of documents for the duration of the pandemic -- and not because they're afraid of germs. Rather, the concern is security-based, mainly the potential for prying eyes seeing work that is being done remotely.
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The National Court Reporters Association is considering amending its bylaws to prohibit its fellows from promoting non-stenographic methods of tracking proceedings. The proposal has kicked off lively debate, with critics pointing to the increasing shortage of court reporters.
The pandemic has shown that e-discovery "has been overlooked in business continuity planning," write attorneys Sean Byrne and Tom Matarelli. In this commentary, they suggest ways the process can be improved and point out that "courts, regulators and counsel have little tolerance for missing deadlines when processes fail."
UK-based Apperio, a provider of software that tracks and dissects legal spending for corporate legal departments, is launching a major push to add US clients to its European base. Apperio says the US push has already produced sales, including to private equity firms on both coasts.
Big law firms more than ever are branching out into alternative legal services, mostly through subsidiaries to protect their basic brand. In this extensive analysis, Dan Packel examines the many directions those efforts can take, including app building, supplying legal talent and handling e-discovery for outside companies.
UK-based law firm DWF is paying $18.5 million for Chicago-based Mindcrest, a litigation support and legal analytics company. Andrew Leaitherland, chief executive officer of DWF, emphasized the company's commitment to managed services and said Mindcrest "will provide the resources to better support our clients globally."