Welcome to the September 2025 edition of the Dye & Durham Docket! In this issue, we cover the latest buzz: “agentic AI,” a wake-up call for the Canadian justice system following a startling revelation on digital sovereignty, a split in Australia’s legal market, and other legal and tech developments from the UK, Ireland, and South Africa. Plus, this month’s burning question: how much office chit-chat is too much? A UK employment tribunal weighs in.

And on a lighter note: 007 might be shaken, but he’s not stirred amid a trademark battle over IP and merchandising rights for the iconic spy franchise.

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The latest Australia State of the Legal Market 2025 report shows a divided legal market: the Big 8 lean on legacy models and traditional rates, while others pursue aggressive growth. With generative AI and global instability in play, who will maintain momentum—and who will fall behind?

Legal experts weigh in on the Victorian government’s plan to enshrine a two-day work-from-home right, questioning both its practicality and potential constitutional hurdles.

Read this law professor’s reflection on how beyond concerns about algorithmic bias and reliability, introducing AI into Canada’s criminal justice system surfaces the lack of consensus on what makes a ‘better’ system.

Quotable: “The problem is not just that AI might make bad decisions; it’s that we don’t agree on what a good decision looks like.”

The Illusion of Digital Sovereignty: Drawing from Microsoft's startling admission in a French court, this article argues that the Canadian justice system faces vulnerabilities, and makes the case for homegrown legal technology.

Learn about the implications for landlords and tenants in Ireland of a proposed UK bill to ban upward-only rent reviews in new commercial leases, giving tenants greater power to challenge increases.

Check out the Law Society of Ireland’s new legal technology hub, featuring courses, tools, and the latest insights on AI, cybersecurity, and day-to-day practice.

As the pressure for AI-driven efficiency mounts, this article highlights five critical considerations for South African in-house counsel to ensure AI tools strengthen rather than compromise their legal departments.

In a landmark ruling, South Africa’s Constitutional Court has declared that men can take their wives’ surnames, a right previously off-limits under a colonial-era law.

If AI can draft documents and review cases in seconds, making traditional on-the-job training somewhat redundant, how might methods evolve to ensure the next generation of senior lawyers can spot when automation gets it wrong?

Related: The SRA may impose extra ongoing training requirements due to concerns that many solicitors show a lack of ‘meaningful reflection’ on completed courses, potentially undermining professional standards and adaptability.

Just how much chit-chat is too much? In a case brought by an employee, a UK employment tribunal has ruled that while “being young and chatty” may grate on older colleagues, it doesn’t qualify as age harassment.   

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A lighter note

Shaken, Not Stirred—and Legally Protected: James Bond’s trademark is under threat, but fear not; from an army of lawyers to royal tailors and hatters, 007 has a full-blown legal and fashion squad defending the rights to his iconic style.

Thank you for reading this edition of the Dye & Durham Docket. See you next month.

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