Sarah will be giving a talk titled “Using the Law as Data” at BIALL’s Annual Conference to be held June 12-14 in Leeds, UK. Here’s the session description: Players in the legal sector are looking for opportunities for leveraging data to improve their work and understanding. This work is anticipated to be transformational, generating new … Continued
Many people in the legal sector are working toward making the legal profession, and society as a whole, more equitable, which has led to calls to increase diversity in the legal profession. Employers and educators have tried to achieve more impartiality by integrating quantitative metrics, such as LSAT scores, grades, and litigation statistics, into their … Continued
The hype around generative AI and legal research continues, and it seems everyone has an opinion. There are concerns about use of AI in practice, but there is less clarity about how to approach finding sustainable solutions. It is however apparent that we need to consider the risks associated with using these systems, especially those … Continued
Sarah gave a a talk titled “Can the chatbot write my factum? The future of legal research” at the CLEBC event on October 17 2023. Here’s the session description: Increasingly, the practice of law is influenced in various ways by technology and AI. The rise of data and the way it is managed by technology … Continued
Many factors impede the adoption of technology and hinder innovation in the legal sector — the reliance on billable hours, the complex structure of legal documents and processes, and the chronic underfunding of courts, among others. Part of what makes it challenging to address these issues is that there is no clear governing body capable … Continued
Hosted by the Vancouver Association of Law Libraries October 3, 2023 | 12:00pm-1:00pm Location: Zoom Cost: FREE for VALL members, non-members, and students! Please join VALL for our inaugural substantive session of the 2023-24 season, featuring Sarah Sutherland discussing that hot topic: generative AI as a current and potential research tool for lawyers and law … Continued
If you read my column from April and thought: “Yes, writing a book is exactly what I want to do with all my free time for the next one+ years”, then you may be wondering how to get to the next step of actually writing a book. Firstly, I want to include the caveat that so far … Continued
From the peak of the AI hype cycle, the only way to travel is down. While the AI applications at our fingertips are remarkable — some might say magical — they are not a universal solution for every problem as some enthusiasts proclaim. These tools excel at specifically designed tasks and show promise for diverse … Continued
Canada’s access to justice gap is widening, and the legal industry must find ways to narrow it. It’s a gap that also presents major opportunities for growth in legal services. Both for-profit and non-profit services have the chance to tap into a large, underserved market. By analyzing data on how people experience legal problems, we … Continued
Yesterday marked the ten year anniversary of my first regular Slaw column. I don’t think I could have guessed I would still be writing it after so much time, and it’s gratifying to hear when people say that they read my pieces. Having a venue where I can write regularly has been a gift for … Continued