Just, Quick(er) and Cheap(er) – the upside to COVID 19 in the legal world

Just, Quick(er) and Cheap(er) – the upside to COVID 19 in the legal world

By Tony Burke

Many people would likely be surprised that an overarching principle of civil justice in NSW “is to facilitate the just, quick and cheap resolution of the real issues in the proceedings”. Recently I was fortunate to co-author a paper with Professor Tania Sourdin (Professor and Dean, Newcastle Law School) and Dr Bin Li (Lecturer, University of Newcastle) which addressed this area in the context of advancing technology (see link).

Too often, experiences with our legal system provide for a slow and expensive encounter. Fortunately, improvements are being made and the legal profession is adapting to technological advancements to assist in reducing both legal costs, and the time to achieve the outcome.

While we may be some time away from Artificial Intelligence being a significant tool in the legal profession, already technology advances have promoted faster and less expensive legal experiences for the client.

COVID 19 has disrupted all aspects of our lives in recent times – stifling many organisations in their operation. Fortunately, the widening use of audio visual links by the legal profession has been just one area that has highlighted the increasing capacity for the profession to adapt to new technologies – and while completely necessary in the COVID era, the new technologies have otherwise been assisting to improve costs and timing.

Family Law – particularly in the area of Property Settlements – is one field that is utilising new technologies (including AI orientated algorithms) towards the timely resolution of disputes between parties. While most agree that one on one interaction (between Lawyer and client) will remain fundamental to most legal matters, it is these new technologies that are assisting lawyers (and the Courts) towards obtaining just outcomes which are quick and inexpensive.

O’Hearn Lawyers is committed to utilising new technologies to obtain the best outcome for their clients.

Contact our team on 02 4951 8199 or click below to start your case.

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