Virtual Law Practice in the UK
August 8th, 2007 by Benjamin Duranske
In a recent press release that claims it is “the UK’s first virtual law firm” (actually, Field Fisher Waterhouse was first, by my math, but this is interesting nonetheless), a firm called “Legality Solicitors” announces that it “has recently provided advice to BJL Group Limited, the largest independent advertising agency outside London, on the legal issues surrounding the creation of ‘Mancunia’, based on a famous part of Manchester, in Second Life.”
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8 Responses to “Virtual Law Practice in the UK”
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Hrm, it seems to me that any lawyer who works from home (plenty of them already do in the UK I’m sure) has as much a claim to being a virtual law firm as these guys do.
–matt
True that. I’m a little skeptical too, but it’s at least interesting from the perspective that it’s apparently something worth paying someone to flog now.
Just want to correct an error in your posting. The press release states that Legality was the UK’s first virtual law firm in real life – we were established in 2002.
We recently worked with a client on the creation of Mancunia in SL, but we did not claim that we were the first virtual law firm in SL – there are already many of these…
Hi Mark – the press release speaks for itself. It says:
“Press Dispensary – Legality Solicitors, the UK’s first virtual law firm, has recently provided advice to BJL Group Limited, the largest independent advertising agency outside London, on the legal issues surrounding the creation of ‘Mancunia’, based on a famous part of Manchester, in Second Life.”
I’m not sure how you’re parsing that, but it sure doesn’t look like a reasonable interpretation is: “Legality was the UK’s first virtual law firm in real life.”
I like what you guys are doing, but the press release and the comment seem a little shady. Do you want to tell people a little more about the work you did instead?
Hi Benjamin. I have to say I disagree. The press release doesn’t claim anywhere that Legality is a virtual law firm in SL – just as it doesn’t say that Legality is a virtual law firm in There or Active Worlds. Quite the contrary – it states that Legality is the UK’s first virtual law firm. The term “UK” is fairly descriptive and I believe exists only in real life!
There are a number of virtual law firms in the UK (e.g. Family Law International, NetworkLaw and Scott-Moncrieff Harbour and Sinclair) – none of which, as I’m aware, have a presence in SL or any other virtual world…
I was simply wanting to correct your original post…
I’m totally lost — and I’m not trying to give you grief here, I just don’t get it.
What’s a “virtual law firm” as this press release contemplates the term as far as you’re concerned? Do you basically mean it’s one that doesn’t have a real life office? I’m just not following.
I think one of the best descriptions I’ve come across is that provided by DuPont. It describes a virtual law firm as follows:
“The virtual law firm connects lawyers electronically and culturally. Through the use of applied technology, such as extranets, integrated case management software, computerised databases, electronic invoicing software, document imaging, cell phones, personal digital assistants, and trial presentation software, team members in different geographical locations can perform legal work efficiently and cost-effectively in a shared environment. But this technology still depends on the human element and on the willingness of committed participants to implement and use it constructively in furtherance of an articulated vision and clear goals. In a virtual law firm, participants must share a common culture.”
Thanks for the comment, Mark. Having spent time in law firms as both an IT manager and an attorney, I definitely think that’s the way law firms are going to work more and more in the future Congrats to you guys on the advice to BJL. I’ll drop by the build sometime.