When it comes to direct-to-consumer apps, we’re already seeing simple solutions like MyPay.London assisting Londoners experiencing problems with their pay from employment, or various PIP (Personal Independence Payment) appeal tools. The ambition is to enhance solutions of this kind with cutting-edge AI.
One tech solution could be to have people describe their problem in their own words whilst an AI translates it into ‘legal speak’, compiles documents and performs other high-skilled tasks which are usually undertaken by lawyers. Among the companies working towards this is Legal Utopia. At the time of writing, its ‘Legal Problem Engine’ is a few months away from launching a natural language processing system trained to process plain English to identify the legal nature of someone’s problem and offer a legal diagnosis.
Are tech powered legal services affordable?
Digital solutions are great at reaching scale and cutting costs, but there’s more to it. Legal tech allows for unbundling of legal processes into individual services that can be self-managed (with digital assistance) like signposting or filling in forms, and other services that are normally handled by a lawyer. This reduces the time and money spent on a professional. Moreover, automation enables lawyers to predict workloads and therefore they could fix the price of services rather than charge clients per hour.
Fixed pricing is key to allow customers to anticipate expenses, compare providers and make it transparent what they are actually paying for. Currently, in legal services, people struggle to choose a provider and market competition feels lacking. Consequently, most people do not believe that professional legal advice is worth the money or at all affordable5,. Luckily, there are providers out there already that seek to make digital, unbundled and affordable legal services a reality like Rocket Lawyer or Legal Zoom.
Clearly, technology has a role to play in making justice accessible to more people in need and things are happening to accelerate this. HM Courts & Tribunals Service is investing £1 billion to reform its systems with the aim of bringing new technology and modern ways of working into the courtroom. The Ministry of Justice has created a £5 million innovation fund to promote new ways in which legal support and advice can be delivered remotely through digital means.
Similarly, Innovate UK has also launched a £20 million Next Generation Services fund to empower a whole range of services, including legal, with cutting edge digital technologies like AI and data analytics. Last but not least, the Solicitors Regulatory Authority has teamed up with Nesta Challenges to launch the Legal Access Challenge prize to see how a proactive regulatory approach can support innovation which makes legal services more accessible. The competition is incentivising innovative technology solutions that will help individuals and SMEs to better understand and resolve their legal problems.
Legal technology appears to be reaching a tipping point. Within years, we should expect more people to claim their rights and feel in control of their legal matters at the push of a button. Far from putting lawyers out of a job, the innovations in the sector will be an invaluable toolbox for legal practitioners, opening the sector to those who are at present excluded from the system altogether.