Robert Millard

Created by programmers from the mid-90s onwards and launched by technology disruptors in 2008 on the back of the biggest corporate failings in trust and honesty the modern world has seen, Blockchain collects facts as diverse as Wikipedia and churns them out as randomly as Alexa in a playschool. Heralded as the next big thing, blockchain has the potential to radically change the way lawyers work, and even threaten their very existence. So, what is it, and how does it work? This book, featuring opinions and experience from some of the most knowledgeable thought leaders on the subject, aims to cut through the hype and explore the many different facets of blockchain, and what it will mean for the legal profession.

Much has been written about the pace of change facing the legal industry - how certain law firm functions are being replaced by artificial intelligence and new types of service providers, how accounting firms are looking to absorb and replace law firms, and how merging into worldwide mega firms of 3,000 to 10,000 lawyers is the only way to survive. Steve Jobs and others have called this evolution "creative destruction". Richard Susskind referred to it years ago as "the end of lawyers". It is true that the legal market is facing massive change. Technology, new ways of working, alternative methods of billing, and highly disruptive new entrants have all made their mark on the traditional legal business model. The Future of Law Firm Business Models takes a look at all these trends and more, horizon-scanning for future developments, and the ways in which these issues will fundamentally change the market.