Addleshaw Goddard Question

[Deleted member 69]

Can anyone give any insight into possible responses to the following question:

Please choose a current legal issue that interests you and describe how it affects/may affect the current legal market? (300 words)

I tend to shy away from technology/AI in these questions as I feel like I would be setting myself up to fail if I did end up getting an interview as tech is not an area that comes naturally to me. I would normally talk about growth of emerging markets or something similar in response to this sort of question, but it doesn't quite fit with the wording "legal issue". Would appreciate your thoughts!

 

[Jaysen]

How would you define legal issue? I would think most of technology/AI would be more of a commercial issue. However, my interpretation does limit what comes under "legal issues" a fair bit, so I may be wrong on this.

Here are some ideas about factors affecting law firms now on this definition:

Legal issue
AI/tech (e.g. if you focused on the legal ramifications of having AI as a legal services provider)
Emerging markets (I imagine this would fit if say you focused on legislation restricting law firms from operating in particular jurisdictions)
Cybersecurity
Banking regulations e.g. ringfencing
Bank scandals e.g. manipulation of LIBOR
Brexit e.g. financial services firms losing passporting rights or amending/revoking EU legislation
Alternative Business Structures
GDPR/data regulation
Saudi Aramco IPO

Commercial Issue
AI/tech
Cybersecurity (both)
Brexit (both)
Legal tech
US firms and competition
NewLaw
Agile working
Alternative fee arrangements
Talent
Outsourcing work
Emerging markets
Diversity
Efficiency/process improvement
Investment in US
Topical news stories: Chinese trade war/GDPR/rising interest rates/US stock market sell off etc.

 

[Deleted member 69]

Thanks so much for this! So helpful!

 

[SJamal]

Would ring-fencing still fall under "current legal issue" since the Banking Reform Act was passed in 2013? Or Do you mean the long-term ramifications from ring-fencing affecting banks, hence, law firms expected to digest new regulatory rules?

 

[Lawgirlxo]

Would ring-fencing still fall under "current legal issue" since the Banking Reform Act was passed in 2013? Or Do you mean the long-term ramifications from ring-fencing affecting banks, hence, law firms expected to digest new regulatory rules?

I think it’s because the deadline to implement the regulation is January 2019. If I remember clearly, most banks only started taking steps to implement the regulation in 2017/2018.

 

[SJamal]

For my AG application, I been really torn between ring-fencing and how it will affect the legal profession or Al tech. I’ve gone with Al tech and how it may affect the legal market mainly because AG have been making massive strides with clients relationships in this area in the last 2 years.

 

[Josie]

Can anyone give an insight into the main legal issues affecting / going to affect the UK legal market in 2019 / 2020?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Can anyone give an insight into the main legal issues affecting / going to affect the UK legal market in 2019 / 2020?

What do you think they might be?

 

[Josie]

What do you think they might be?

I think the obvious one is the uncertainty of Brexit, and how it will affect the operation of law firms and their clients' businesses.

Legal technology, particularly AI also remains significant particularly in the context of firms like Addleshaw Goddard who are at the forefront of technological developments, but I would be cautious to talk about this in a question such as the one in this thread for fear of being too generic.

Other issues I have thought about our the growing emergence of ABS and perhaps also the emergence of fintech which I thought would be quite relevant to AG as a firm with expertise in both financial services and technology but maybe not an issue massively affecting the legal market as a whole?

 

[Jessica Booker]

I think the obvious one is the uncertainty of Brexit, and how it will affect the operation of law firms and their clients' businesses.

Legal technology, particularly AI also remains significant particularly in the context of firms like Addleshaw Goddard who are at the forefront of technological developments, but I would be cautious to talk about this in a question such as the one in this thread for fear of being too generic.

Other issues I have thought about our the growing emergence of ABS and perhaps also the emergence of fintech which I thought would be quite relevant to AG as a firm with expertise in both financial services and technology but maybe not an issue massively affecting the legal market as a whole?

I’d personally avoid ABS - people have been talking about that for over 10 years now in applications.

This question (whether yours or theirs) very specifically asks about 2019-20. To me I’d be looking at legislation passed in the UK in that period of time, things that will impact businesses like incoming budget policies etc.

 

[S87]

Hi All,

I am struggling with this question too.

The problem as mentioned above is to define legal issue. The proposed topics seem to be too commercial

Should we focus on recent decisions taken by the Supreme Court that my affect commercial agreements?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi All,

I am struggling with this question too.

The problem as mentioned above is to define legal issue. The proposed topics seem to be too commercial

Should we focus on recent decisions taken by the Supreme Court that my affect commercial agreements?

What are the recent decisions you mention? I am sure the Supreme Court makes many decisions on a regular basis.

 

[S87]

for example the one about nom clauses in Rock advertising case

 

[Jessica Booker]

for example the one about nom clauses in Rock advertising case

The key part of this question is "that interests you" - whatever legal issue you choose, the vital part is it is something you can talk about with interest (and by default probably a level of knowledge of). If this particular case interested you, then you could use it but the focus has to be on why it interests you and how it has/will impact the legal market.

 

[S87]

Hi everyone,

Since I was struggling with my previous topic and because of my work in international arbitration, I decided to write about the partnership between DFIC-LCIA (dubai international financial centre and london court of international arbitration). I am focusing on the 10 yrs anniversary and why has become such a key legal arbitration hub. However, I am also trying to describe how it affected the UK legal market since medium size/National firms could not simply offer the same as leading city law firms. Do you think that it would be ok if I focused also how these firms had to redesign their international strategy and how they conquered a key spot. If this is ok, could you advise me where I can find the right info?
I have completed the first part of my answer but I cannot find much on the second part.

Thank you very much for your help.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi everyone,

Since I was struggling with my previous topic and because of my work in international arbitration, I decided to write about the partnership between DFIC-LCIA (dubai international financial centre and london court of international arbitration). I am focusing on the 10 yrs anniversary and why has become such a key legal arbitration hub. However, I am also trying to describe how it affected the UK legal market since medium size/National firms could not simply offer the same as leading city law firms. Do you think that it would be ok if I focused also how these firms had to redesign their international strategy and how they conquered a key spot. If this is ok, could you advise me where I can find the right info?
I have completed the first part of my answer but I cannot find much on the second part.

Thank you very much for your help.

key word search on AGs website:

https://www.addleshawgoddard.com/gl...al-arbitration-quarterly-review-july-2016.pdf

lots of other info in their later quarterly IA reviews

 

[S87]

Thank you so much

 

[S87]

How would you define legal issue? I would think most of technology/AI would be more of a commercial issue. However, my interpretation does limit what comes under "legal issues" a fair bit, so I may be wrong on this.

Here are some ideas about factors affecting law firms now on this definition:

Legal issue
AI/tech (e.g. if you focused on the legal ramifications of having AI as a legal services provider)
Emerging markets (I imagine this would fit if say you focused on legislation restricting law firms from operating in particular jurisdictions)
Cybersecurity
Banking regulations e.g. ringfencing
Bank scandals e.g. manipulation of LIBOR
Brexit e.g. financial services firms losing passporting rights or amending/revoking EU legislation
Alternative Business Structures
GDPR/data regulation
Saudi Aramco IPO

Commercial Issue
AI/tech
Cybersecurity (both)
Brexit (both)
Legal tech
US firms and competition
NewLaw
Agile working
Alternative fee arrangements
Talent
Outsourcing work
Emerging markets
Diversity
Efficiency/process improvement
Investment in US
Topical news stories: Chinese trade war/GDPR/rising interest rates/US stock market sell off etc.

Apologies, if I sound ignorant. But Libor and ringfencing seem to be more regulatory issues rather than strictly legal.

 

[Jaysen]

Apologies, if I sound ignorant. But Libor and ringfencing seem to be more regulatory issues rather than strictly legal.

No problem, I think it depends on how broadly you interpret 'legal issues'. I'd class new regulations as legal issues. (Although at the time, with LIBOR, I was actually referring to the legal consequences for banks who manipulated the rate.)