Is it too late to say happy new year? We’re saying it anyway. We hope your 2026 is off to a great start.

The start of a new year often brings a moment of reflection, and January’s stories track ongoing developments across the legal and professional landscape, including talent and workplace dynamics, cyber risk, climate accountability, and marketing tactics in an era of AI-driven search and discovery.

Read on for a look at what’s changing across jurisdictions, what firms may need to rethink sooner rather than later, and where emerging risks and opportunities are starting to surface in 2026.

Industry News and Trends

A new set of predictions looks ahead to how legal operations and in-house teams are expected to evolve in 2026, with a focus on workflow automation, data integration, and the growing influence of generative AI on legal service delivery.

One month into Australia’s social media ban for under‑16s, teens say they are adapting with new habits and coping strategies, though experts say the long-term impact is still unclear.

Quotable: “I feel free.” ─14-year-old Amy.

A year-in-review analysis explores how lateral movement, firm combinations, and strategic hires impacted the legal market in 2025, with technology adoption and practice resilience playing an increasingly central role in talent decisions.

Is your practice invisible to AI? As AI-driven search and discovery tools are changing how clients find legal services in 2026, explore why many law firm websites might be struggling to surface in AI-generated results, and what you can do about it.

Featured Product

Thanks to an expanded partnership between Dye & Durham and FCT, electronic ID verification (E-IDV) is now built directly into Unity® Practice Management for Canadian users.

Legal professionals can securely verify identities and manage sensitive data without leaving the platform.

Unity® Practice Management brings together the core systems firms rely on every day, including:

• Matter management

• Accounting

• Document handling

• Client communications

With E-IDV now embedded into these workflows, firms can reduce manual work, support compliance, and keep critical processes connected in one place.

Learn more about how Unity® supports modern legal practice.

Global News

As cybersecurity threats escalate for Australian law firms, this article examines where firms are most exposed and why cyber readiness is fast becoming a core governance issue rather than just an IT concern.

A roundup of the changes that took effect on January 1 offers a useful snapshot of the regulatory and legislative shifts Australian legal professionals need to be aware of as 2026 gets underway.

Canadian law firms are being urged to work together on a vendor-neutral cybersecurity framework, as cyber risk grows more complex and fragmented approaches leave firms vulnerable.

New data shows GTA home sales fell sharply in 2025, highlighting continued pressure in the real estate market and potential downstream impacts for conveyancing and transactional practices.

Ireland’s inability to meet its climate commitments is increasingly pushing climate action into the courts. This piece explores why litigation is becoming a necessary tool and what it could mean for public bodies and private actors alike. 

A landmark judgment has clarified the boundaries of employer authority, reinforcing important protections for employees and setting a precedent that could influence workplace policies across sectors.

Law firms may soon be required to hand over interest earned on client accounts, as proposals raise questions about firm finances, regulatory oversight, and the future handling of client funds. 

A new survey reveals that most conveyancers do not support binding sale contracts, signalling ongoing resistance to some reforms aimed at speeding up the property transaction process.

Dye & Durham in Action

A lighter note

Ever wondered how to become a spy? Step inside the French university that trains intelligence operatives, complete with its own real-life “Professor X.”

Thanks for reading this month’s Dye & Durham Docket. Whether you’re still in a Happy New Year mood or already looking ahead to the next holiday (we see you, Valentine’s Day enthusiasts), if any of these stories sparked a conversation or made you pause, we’ve done our job.

See you next month!

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