The legal tech landscape is buzzing with innovation and transformation as law firms adapt to an evolving socio-economic environment, renewed debate around privacy and antitrust laws, and technological advancements. We're here to keep you informed on the latest trends and stories shaping the future of legal practice. Let's dive in.

Featured articles

In one of the most significant antitrust rulings in decades, a federal US judge declared that Google has an illegal monopoly on search, opening the door to lawsuits from competitors like Yelp. Here’s how the ruling could change how we search the internet.

Pavel Durov, CEO of Telegram, a widely used messaging app, was recently arrested by French authorities as part of an extensive investigation into criminal activity on the platform, reigniting the fierce global debate about limits on privacy and free speech.

Industry news and trends

Smart courts, evidence-gathering drones, and robot judges this systematic review on integrating new technologies into the administration of courts and justice dispensation makes for an academic but worthwhile read.

Read about the legal and financial implications of the unprecedented CrowdStrike-Microsoft incident as public and private organizations tally the costs and lawyers debate liability extent and contract language.

Related: Factsheet and tips for in-house lawyers helping their organizations prepare for and respond to these kinds of events.

Boost awareness and gain more clients for your law practice with these top marketing strategies and SEO trends in 2024.

According to a recent report from Robert Half, 91% of law firms and legal departments face challenges finding skilled talent in the current hiring landscape. Listen to industry experts discuss these insights, including the role of contract professionals, the impact of AI on the workforce and strategies for retaining top talent in a competitive market.

Learn how some in-house legal teams are saving money, keeping talent and integrating AI.

Global news

The Australian scene

The “right to disconnect” law recently came into effect in Australia, empowering employees to ignore communications after hours if they choose to. What is the role of legal in ensuring adherence?

NewLaw vs BigLaw? Discover the factors driving the growth of NewLaw firm models and how traditional law firms can remain competitive in the face of changing consumer and talent demands in Australia's legal landscape.

What's up in Canada?

A recent survey revealed that Canadians would trust an AI assistant to generate last wills and testaments more than other legal documents, even though most remain concerned about the general use of AI in preparing legal documents. Learn how to talk to your clients about wills and prepare them for the age of AI in legal services.

Spotting potential red flags is more critical than ever, even as a recent financial intelligence report found that Canadian lawyers inadvertently play a key role in money laundering. Learn what to watch for and avoid to protect your clients and your practice from getting caught up in a money laundering scheme.

The Irish market

For the first time, the government has listed cases for hearing in September, signalling that the traditional Long Vacation period for legal professionals may be at risk as demands for increased productivity continue to rise. Explore how mounting pressures and evolving client expectations are leading to a potential shift in how the Irish legal industry approaches the months of August and September.

In a recent case, the recovery of millions of dollars hinged on the use of a single adjective in an engagement letter, highlighting the importance of precise legal drafting and the impact of words in a courtroom.

The scene in South Africa

August was Women’s Month in South Africa. In this insightful interview, family law specialist, Kaamilah Paulse, discusses her experience navigating a traditionally male-dominated field, women’s superpowers in the courtroom, and the slow but significant transformation of South Africa’s legal industry over the years.

Seller’s Grief: Understand this emerging risk category in real estate law, including how to identify indicators and mitigate the negative effects.

What's up in the UK?

Reputation, price and referrals remain at the top of consumers’ minds when choosing their legal services provider, according to the 2024 Legal Services Consumer Panel Tracker Survey.

In the wake of recent riots, this insightful commentary from the Law Gazette explores the consequences for the legal profession, from the role of lawyers and increased demand for criminal justice professionals to the shock of solicitors being a target.

    Dye & Durham in action

For Homelessness Week (August 5 - 11), the Dye & Durham Australian team participated in The Big Issue's Big Sell event to support and raise funds for people experiencing homelessness.

We had a great time celebrating excellence and innovation in the Australian legal industry at the 24th annual Australian Law Awards. Dye & Durham was proud to be the principal sponsor of the awards. Dennis Barnhart, Managing Director, Australia, and Mike McKell, VP Sales, Australia, had the honour of presenting awards to these outstanding legal professionals. Congratulations to all finalists and well-deserved winners!

Our Toronto team had a smashing time at the Royal Canadian Yacht Club with our Toronto-based Unity® Practice Management clients at our second Racquets & Regatta summer event! Thank you to all our clients for attending and letting your hair down with us. Your support means a lot to us, and we're grateful for the opportunity to connect with you in person.

Dye & Durham in the news

In line with our broader strategy of facilitating a smoother process for real estate transactions across Canada, mortgage discharges for National Bank are now available nationwide via Unity® Practice Management in English Canada and Unity® Centre Hypothécaire in Quebec. Read the full press release.

Upcoming events

Register for our upcoming Industry Insight Webinar (UK): Dealing with searches and enquiries: avoiding the elephant traps.

Date: Monday, September 9, 2024

Time: 2 pm

Industry expert: Ian Quayle, will be discussing:

• Scoping the retainer and explaining the purpose of due diligence

• Usual, necessary and unusual searches

• Client inspection (actual and constructive notice)

• Survey and valuation - the provision of advice and explanation

• Reporting on due diligence - tips and traps

A lighter note 

What makes a legal movie great, and which one is the best of all time? 

That’s it for the September edition of the Dye & Durham Docket. Thank you for reading, and see you next month! 

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