What exactly is Artificial Intelligence?

Lawyers have been making good use of LegalTech – software which allows them to do their work in a way which is more efficient and cost-effective – for some years now. A number of repetitive, labour-intensive manual processes such as reviewing documents for relevant information can now be done through automation, which enables professionals to devote more time to strategic work. But the most pioneering strand of this technology is Artificial Intelligence (AI) – software that has the capability to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence. When this kind of technology is used, it promises to be faster and more accurate than a human. In a profession where attention to detail is everything and mistakes can be costly, it pays to be aware of what AI can offer.

How law firms are currently benefitting from AI

So, how is AI transforming the everyday practice of law? The most common way is during the process of document review. Once, routine tasks such as drafting contracts and analysing legal documents were often delegated to junior lawyers. Now AI can be used to proofread and intelligently detect errors such as inconsistencies and omissions far faster and more accurately than a human, which dramatically speeds up the preparation of complex documents.

AI is also expediting the process of research and improving its accuracy: cognitive intelligence applications such as Watson can, for example, search through case law and identify relevant information and patterns, then evaluate and summarise the results. This makes it a valuable tool to lawyers working on due diligence, investigations and compliance related tasks. Staff at Berwin Leighton Paisner, for example, use an AI system to extract and check data when they work on certain property disputes, in a process which now takes minutes rather than weeks.

There are also some examples of AI currently being used in ways which seem more in line with the futuristic, robotic visions depicted in science fiction. A number of firms have been experimenting with AI robotic lawyers -or ‘lawyerbots’ – which can be used to provide legal advice and answer questions over the internet. With development, this could certainly replace the ‘send a request form’ section of many firms’ websites. In addition, AI is being used to sift data to predict outcomes, one fascinating example being the algorithm created by Chicago-Kent College of Law professor Daniel Martin Katz. It predicted the outcomes of 7700 U.S. Supreme Court cases with 70 percent accuracy, making it more precise than the forecasts made by legal experts. As the technology develops, it seems reasonable to anticipate AI being used to review information in real time and conduct risk assessments in order to help deal with potential legal problems before they emerge – pre-empting litigation.

How law professionals will need to adapt

But what does this mean for the future of the legal profession? And will lawyers need new skills? Unfortunately, there isn’t any AI which makes predictions about that. However, we can assume that as more legal professionals come to recognise how useful AI is as a time- and money- saving diagnostic tool, the more they will use it to support their work. It is likely that lawyers, especially those at the junior end of the market who are often tasked with those time-consuming research and review processes, will be freed up to work on more cognitive tasks, necessitating a rethinking of how teams are structured, as well as the responsibilities allocated to individuals. It’s also worth remembering that AI is only accurate when applied correctly, so training in the use of the technology will be imperative.

Why lawyers needn’t fear being replaced by robots

All of this means that where AI was once a futuristic idea, it’s now viewed as something which can be used to complement existing technology and is likely to become as second nature to us as spell checks and predictive text are on our laptops and smartphones. It will always be a tool because it is unlikely to ever reach a human level of creativity and judgement that would allow us to see a court room of robots. And while the legal sector is still in the early stages of discovering the full potential of AI, firms wishing to be market leaders should take advantage of current and emerging technology.

What benefits can your law firm reap by adopting more AI software solutions?

Take a look at some of our other blogs to gain more insight into the legal sector

Our latest market analysis for advertised legal roles has been featured in a number of publications including Bdaily, the Global Recruiter and Recruitment International.

It has revealed that vacancies for legal professionals across the North West have risen by 9% month-on-month. To learn more about the results, click the links above.

London has long been the undisputed major legal market in this country. Parts of the capital have been dedicated to the practising of law since the Middle Ages and there are entire legal districts and landmarks – such as Temple and The Old Bailey – which make it synonymous with law even to those outside of the profession.

However, as a national recruiter, we’re acutely aware that there are several cities outside of London that are thriving legal hubs in their own right and are becoming increasingly desirable locations for firms and practitioners. So, what cities are thriving?

Leeds lawyers link easily with London

The legal sector in Leeds is the fastest growing in Britain, according to recent figures from the OFS. In fact, the number of jobs in the city increased by 20% between 2010 and 2015, compared to London’s 5% sector growth. Leeds has benefitted from the widespread trend of London firms relocating their offices and the ‘big six’ all have practices there. Excellent transport infrastructure means, that lawyers can easily travel to London, enabling them to offer the same range of services as their peers in the capital, but without the hefty fees. Leeds, has also seen a steady growth within its technology and digital economy, meaning there are plentiful opportunities for specialists.

Birmingham booms as a ‘legal city’

The recent ‘mini boom’ in Birmingham’s local housing market, fuelled a 68% increase in demand for the services of residential conveyancing professionals, according to our latest hiring index. In addition, there has been considerable growth in infrastructure, such as New Street Station’s £750 million transformation, leading to increased opportunities for construction lawyers.  The HS2 high-speed rail network project will continue this trend and provide a number of opportunities for transactional, regulatory, compliance and litigation specialists.

Manchester law firms mirror the city’s growth

Manchester’s buoyant legal sector, echoes the sustained growth of the city. Rapid urban development has led to a skyline of newly built towers, which house businesses and private residences. As a result, there has been continual growth within property and construction as well as finance and corporate law. Big firms such as Slater and Gordon, Clyde & Co, Freshfields and Nabarro have all settled in the city, supplying plentiful opportunities for the city’s legal professionals.

Bristol harbours major legal firms

A port city best known for its aerospace, technology, and research industries, Bristol’s knowledge-based local economy is a draw for legal firms with expertise in energy, transport, financial services and infrastructure. The Temple Quarter area has welcomed major firms such as Simmons & Simmons and Burges Salmon and key players such as home-grown Osborne Clark and TLT reported rises in their turnover during 2016/17, highlighting its viability as a second ‘legal city’.

So, as more and more firms continue to invest in these cities, the opportunities for professionals is vast. Gone are the days where it was deemed necessary to work in the capital to pursue a career in law.

If you’re a legal specialist seeking a new role for the New Year, get in touch today to see what opportunities we have available nationwide.

And, if you’re a firm seeking talent for your growing legal practice, we can help find your next hire.

As the New Year approaches, you might be one of the many professionals reassessing your career. Do you feel like you’re not motivated in your current job? Do you feel that your skills and experience are not being maximised where you are now? Or perhaps you are unsure about what career you should be embarking on?  If this all sounds familiar, you might want to consider recruitment. Not only is it an incredibly fulfilling career, but it is also varied – no two days are the same – and the rewards are endless. So if you’re seeking a new challenge, take a look at our top reasons to work in recruitment.

Changing lives

While many might see this as cliché statement it really rings true! A recruiter can literally change a person’s life. When you consider the big life events – such as buying a house or getting married – landing a great job that offers security and satisfaction is right up there at the top. And while you may not be able to place each and every person you meet, recruiters also have the opportunity to help candidates reassess their own career goals which can be instrumental in their quest for the illusive perfect job.

Varied

If you’re the type of person that likes variety and doesn’t like the idea of sitting in an office day in day out, then recruitment could be just right for you. Each day is different – you could be interviewing candidates, meeting new clients, or you could be at a conference or careers fair offering advice to jobseekers. Because of the varied nature of recruitment it is, however, very fast paced. Consequently an ability to multi-task and react quickly to client demands is crucial.

Career progression

While it might be true that the recruitment sector is a saturated market, individuals that are at the top of their game can climb the career ladder very quickly. If you can demonstrate that you are eager to progress and consistently meet your targets then the chance to move from consultant to management level in a short space of time is easily achievable. Furthermore, the very best recruitment agencies will give you the freedom to shape your own career path. So whether you want to rise through the ranks as purely a biller, or if you want to bill and manage people, your employer will create a path that suits your aspirations.

Huge earning potential

While money alone shouldn’t be the reason anyone goes into recruitment, it is a sales role and consequently the ability to earn commission and bonuses on top of your base salary are there for the taking. So if you’re keen to change people’s lives, while simultaneously taking home a lucrative pay packet each month, recruitment could certainly be right for you.

Perks

Many people incorrectly assume that because of the attractive earning potential in recruitment, there a few other perks to the job. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Good recruitment companies will ensure that their staff are rewarded in other ways than money alone. And here at Clayton Legal, for example, we offer an annual car incentive, raffles for super prizes, corporate days out and a company profit share system. However, we also strongly believe in the power of CPD and provide plenty of training and development opportunities – along with study leave – to all our staff.

If this all sounds appealing then the good news is that we’re looking for people to join our close knit team here at Clayton Legal. We’re seeking consultants to work alongside our ever growing team that works with some of the best firms in the market and the very best legal talent. So if you think you have what it takes speak to us today. Could you be the next member of the team? We hope so.

Our latest market analysis for Manchester and the surrounding areas has been featured by Recruitment International and the Online Recruitment website.

One of the key insights from our survey, which is based on our comprehensive data on advertised roles and candidates registered, is that demand for private practice lawyers has risen by 44% month-on-month.

Whatever your view of the UK’s transport links, it can’t be disputed that the South fares better than its Northern counterpart when it comes to access to transport. After all, the vast majority of infrastructure and investment is focused around London and the Home Counties to the detriment of facilities in the North of the country. However, George Osborne’s much discussed Northern Powerhouse and the mooted HS3 project could be set to change that and could make a lasting difference to the UK’s legal sector. Here’s how.

Northshoring

If you rewind even as little as a decade ago the vast majority of legal activity was found in the capital or its surrounding areas. However, in recent years that has started to change and growing numbers of firms have relocated all or at least part of their services to cities such as Manchester and Liverpool. But why is this trend happening?

The main factor is related to the price of property. Office space is hugely more expensive in London than it is further North and firms are quickly realising they can make major savings by moving their services. In addition, being based in the capital makes it challenging to adequately serve clients across the entirety of the UK and many organisations are finding being based further north enables them to serve a wider range of clients.

What does the Northern Powerhouse mean for the UK legal market?

The Northern Powerhouse – and HS3 specifically – could make a major difference to the entire North West region. In general terms, they’re likely to boost the population in major cities as well as encourage greater numbers of businesses to relocate from the capital. This will in turn increase activity for organisations across a wide range of sectors, but particularly for legal firms which are required to manage the often complex regulation and compliance aspect of relocating a firm from one location to another. In addition, legal services are likely to be sought after by individuals moving to the region and buying property, or for those looking to set up their own organisation. This is far from an exhaustive list and essentially an increase in population will create an exponential increase in demand for legal services, which can only be good news.

With opportunities comes challenges

However, a boom in activity brought on by HS3 and the Northern Powerhouse would also create challenges for legal firms. Unlike London, there isn’t a huge and readymade supply of talent in the North West for employers to recruit from and in reality the pool of skills is substantially shallower than it is further south. This is hardly surprising, there has been no need for such a huge range of legal skills until this point. But if activity does increase, firms will need to be able to source the talent they require as and when it’s needed.

That means it should now be a priority for legal firms to establish more robust talent pipelines and they should waste no time in partnering with local colleges and universities to build relationships and develop shadowing and work experience opportunities. An individual that has had a positive experience at the firm in the past is more likely to want to work for you in the future, after all. In addition, employers will need to think more about what they’re actually offering to their potential employees and whether it aligns with what they’re looking for in a role. Firms’ employer value propositions should be tailored to the individual and if you’re targeting working parents, for example, then flexible working – or another similar initiative – should be incorporated. The bottom line is that employers are likely to see a considerable uptick in the amount of work on their books and, rather than leaving it to the last minute, should start thinking about their hiring strategies now before it’s too late. The UK legal sector is shifting dramatically and is moving away from its London-centric past. If your firm wants to be able to compete in this new world, then ensure that your hiring strategies are up to scratch. And if you’re a legal professional looking for your next – or even your first – role, then you may have a few more opportunities in the North West to choose from than you might have imagined.

To read more insights from the team, check our other blog posts and market commentary.

And if you’re a law firm seeking assistance with your talent attraction strategies get in touch today.

More than a year after the UK’s decision to leave the European Union was announced, we still don’t have a clear idea of what Brexit will actually entail. And, according to our latest market analysis of regional legal jobs across the country, demand for lawyers has risen even further as organisations look to get to grips with what is likely to be a rapidly changing market. However, it’s not just Brexit that’s driving activity. But why are lawyers so sought after in the different regions of the UK?

North West

Demand for lawyers was perhaps no stronger than in our home territory of the North West, where vacancies rose by 36% month-on-month. As with some of our other key markets, the buoyant property arena has been the main driver behind the growth, with conveyancing professionals being particularly highly sought after. This is in line with recent survey data from the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) which reveals that, in July, 29% of surveyors saw house prices rise across the North West. As a series of major firms have relocated to the region including Addleshaw Goddard and Eversheds, professionals are not only in demand but are able to claim lucrative salaries that are significantly above the regional market average.

South East

The South East also experienced a boom in demand for specialists which, like the North West, has benefited from a booming property market. Locations like St Albans and Stevenage enjoy some of the fastest growing property and rental prices in the country and this activity, combined with a growing trend for professionals moving away from the capital into the Home Counties, is driving a seemingly ever increasing need for property expertise. This is in line with an analysis by Savills which found that the number of people exiting London has hit a five-year high.

North East

In the North East it’s the commercial property arena that’s driving the vast majority of activity. This is being supported by a huge amount of inward investment into the region and, according to our data, commercial property paralegals and assistants are the most sought after legal professionals. Data from CBRE’s H1 2017 Property Perspective found that Leeds witnessed significantly improved levels of office take-up when compared to the same time in 2016. Commentators suggest this activity is due to Leeds’ position as one of the most cost effective locations in the UK for commercial property along with its robust travel links.

Midlands

This region also ‘bucked the trend’ by avoiding the traditional summer slowdown in the property market and experienced somewhat of a ‘mini boom’ as demand for private practice expertise shot up by 68% month-on-month. Residential conveyancing paralegals, solicitors and heads of department have been particularly highly sought after by legal firms to manage this increased workload. As commentators have suggested the number of people relocating to the region will only continue to rise, firms are advised to put increased work into developing talent pipelines to ensure that they have access to the right talent, both now and in the future, to content with the increased workload.

While many suggested that the UK would be thrown into oblivion as a result of Brexit, the property arena across the country appears to be bucking the trend and is driving significant demand for legal expertise. If you’re looking for your next game-changing role or are seeking advice on bolstering your firms’ talent strategies, get in contact with our specialist legal team.

Take a look at some our other blogs to gain some more valuable career advice

Or take a look at our current roles to find your next game-changing role.

In the modern, digitally-led world in which we live, threats to businesses are probably more likely to come from the web than anywhere else. In recent years there have been dozens of major cyber-attacks on businesses including Sony, TalkTalk, E-Sports, InterContinental Hotel Group, Verizon, IRS, Snapchat and many more. Even the US Presidential election was allegedly influenced by Russian hackers. Organisations within the legal sector rather obviously hold a considerable amount of potentially valuable data, but how real is threat of cyber-attacks to legal firms?

1 in 100

The UK legal industry is worth somewhere in the region of £26bn which makes research from cloud data intelligence firm, OnDmarc even more concerning. Just one of the UK’s top 100 legal firms has sufficient measures in place to protect them against even the most basic forms of email fraud. And if bigger firms – with larger resources – don’t have these defences then it’s highly unlikely smaller ones do either.

Legal firms exposed to cyber attacks

However, this should certainly not be the case and legal firms must start upping their defences to protect them from the ever growing threat of cyber-attacks. The risk of phishing attacks has risen by 65% in 2016 while the use of fake or compromised email accounts to steal information increased by 39% in the last quarter alone, according to email security firm, Mimecast. Attackers use these methods by pretending to be someone in a position of power, such as a CEO or Partner, to trick recipients into sending them confidential or valuable data.

Rois Ni Thuama, head of cyber security governance partnerships and legal at OnDmarc, commented on the findings. “With over 10,000 law firms operating in the UK, handling sensitive and hugely confidential commercial and private data, there is a real opportunity for scammers to target the legal sector. Many law firms either don’t understand the risk or assume that their existing email systems will do the job of protecting them, even though our study very quickly demonstrated that it’s all too easy for a criminal to exploit these firms’ email domains in order to impersonate the company and send out fraudulent messages to external clients and stakeholders.”

Cyber security experts wanted

What this highlights is that firms need to start thinking about their defences more than they currently are and ultimately, need to refocus their hiring strategies to incorporate cyber security specialists. However, there are few of these individuals available in any market, let alone the legal sector, which means that firms will almost essentially be forced into targeting those in other industries. But these people know their skills are few and far between and you will therefore need to be equipped with a tailored and cutting edge employer value proposition if you want to have a chance of attracting and retaining them. Offering the same package you do to lawyers will only turn cyber experts off so you need to take a leaf from the likes of the digital, tech and perhaps even financial industries which have, to date, put much more of a focus on bolstering their online defences. The organisations that don’t opt for this approach are likely to be vulnerable targets and could risk exposing their clients’ valuable and sensitive information, which they certainly want to avoid.

How do you think legal firms can deal with growing threat of cyber-attacks?

Take a look at some our other blogs to gain more insight about the legal sector

Or take a look at our current roles to find your next game-changing role.

Being a Partner is not for everyone.  Not all Legal Professionals will want the stress and added workload brought on by making Partner. But for most – this will be the aim and the potential pinnacle of their career. But what is the route to the top? Here’s how to make Partner.

Be at the right firm

This one should be obvious. You have to keep in mind that working for an organisation and essentially becoming a major shareholder in it are two very different things. Trying to make Partner is a major commitment so you need to make sure your efforts won’t be wasted. Do you have complete faith in the firm’s ability to gain and retain clients? Will you get along with the other partners or will you clash heads? Most importantly, do you have the ability to sustain and develop the practice? These are all questions that need answering, ideally, before you find yourself as a Partner.

Nail the new business

Yes, a detailed knowledge of legal precedents is highly valuable, but in all honesty, a detailed understanding of Rylands vs Fletcher or Donoghue vs Stevenson is unlikely to get you there on its own. Even if it did, you wouldn’t last long unless you can bring in new business. This is a must and anyone unable to do so is unlikely to make Partner.

Get a mentor

Similar to the previous point, making partner is all about being ‘part of the club’ and a quick method of ensuring that you’re not left on the outside is to have an influential partner as your mentor. They’re likely – as long as you’re on the right tracks – to act as your advocate at the partnership table which can only help your case in the long run.

Play the long game

Someone once described planning for partnership as akin to playing a seven-year game of chess, and they’re not far off. You can have a good shot by moving pieces around randomly and hoping for the best, but in reality each decision you make should reflect your intentions. That means, like chess, it’s critical to build a long-term game plan that allows you to develop the skills and network necessary to make Partner.

Become a natural networker

You may now be asking what a natural networker actually is. It’s someone that’s not forcing it and is adept at creating relationships organically and isn’t just networking out of their desire to make partner. This isn’t sustainable and, more importantly, people will see through it. It’s difficult to trust someone you think is inauthentic and potentially out to get something from you and it’s much more preferable to form long term, authentic bonds with people. This certainly isn’t an easy skill to develop – and its one that almost everyone desires – but it’s definitely worth taking the time to focus on.

Sort your life out

In the past, achieving a work/life balance while trying to make partner was probably a distant dream, in many of the tougher firms that is unfortunately still the case. However, if you’re intent on reaching the top, you need to make sure you don’t join the ever-growing pile of associates who have burnt themselves out seeking Partnership. That means you have to be smart and plan ahead. Try and create barriers between work and home life so the latter is just seen as a place to relax and shake off stress at the end of the day and you’ll find that process becomes considerably easier. Nick Goseland, an attorney at US firm, Lateral Link, wrote a piece on exactly that subject where he argued that a long career in the legal sector is an ultra-marathon, not a sprint. He suggested that if each day at work feels unbearable, then take some steps at home and at work to change this before you burn out. We couldn’t agree more.

What are your top tips on how to make partner?

Take a look at some our other blogs to gain some more valuable career advice

Or take a look at our current roles to find your next game-changing senior role.

Rewind even as little as 10 years ago and the vast majority of legal jobs were found in the capital. Let’s not be mistaken, London is certainly still the UK’s main legal hub, however in recent years the sector has spread more widely into other regions of the country. This has been partly fuelled by the concept of ‘Northshoring’ and more and more firms are choosing to relocate at least some of their services to outside of the capital. We’ve been conducting our latest review of hiring activity across the regional markets, with some interesting results – so where is demand for UK legal jobs stemming from?

North West

The North West has once again performed above expectations in terms of legal jobs, with our research showing that vacancies have risen by 36% month-on-month. Manchester and the surrounding areas is a main beneficiary of the Northshoring trend with a series of major firms now based here including Eversheds Sutherland and Addleshaw Goddard, amongst others. These firms have been on the hunt for experienced professionals which has meant that corporate associates and senior associates in particular, have been highly sought after.

Midlands

The Midlands has fared even better than the North West, recording a legal vacancy uptick of 69% month-on-month. The majority of this hiring activity has been focused on the property arena with firms seeking conveyancers, particularly in the commercial arena. According to recent reports, available office space within Birmingham and the surrounding areas is at a 10-year low, with firms keen to take advantage of the second city’s lower prices in comparison to London, which is driving a need for property specialists.

North East & Yorkshire

Property has also been the main driver of activity, or the lack of it, in the North East & Yorkshire recently.  While there was strong demand for conveyancing specialists in the first half of the year, new reports that suggest that this region – along with London – has experienced the slowest increases in property prices which has forced firms to hold back on hiring until the market improves. However, legal professionals with experience of working in the family and private law arena have been highly sought after.

London

Along similar lines, London has also been hit hard by the stalling property arena, however this has been negated by the growing need for administrative assistants and specialists. Many firms have experienced an uptick in workloads as clients ask them to map the post-Brexit market, which in turn has meant employers have been on the hunt for legal back-office professionals, who have contributed to the huge rise in demand seen over the past two months.

South East

The UK legal jobs market has been most active within the south east in recent months. It has seen a huge boom in demand for conveyancing and other property experts. Commentators suggest that this growth is down to the staggeringly high cost of buying property in London. This forces potential buyers out to the surrounding areas like Essex and Hertfordshire and firms in this region have been sourcing property expertise to help manage the increased workloads they’re now facing.

Wales

Demand for legal professionals in Wales has mainly focused on litigation and crime specialists, with higher court advocates particularly sought after. Unfortunately this trend isn’t driven by anything positive, but instead a rise in violent crime which has caused an increase in arrests and prosecutions. However, while this certainly isn’t good news, it does mean that legal specialists are highly sought after across Wales, but particularly in the south.

The brunt of legal activity is no longer focused on London and UK based legal jobs have spread further across the country, with areas like the North West and the Midlands now true legal employment hotspots. If you’re looking for your next regional opportunity – or are looking for a role in the capital – then speak to our expert team to find out how we can help.

Take a look at some our other blogs to learn more about regional employment trends within the legal sector.

Or take a look at our current roles to find your next game-changing legal role.