Regulation of legal services in the e-world: a need to short circuit hot spots in ethics and novel practices?

International Journal of the Legal Profession

Volumn 19, Issue 1, 2012, Pages 55-87

  Gordon, Tahlia ^a   Shackel, Rita ^b   Mark, Steve ^a  

^a NSW Office of the Legal Services Commissioner   (Australia)

^b UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY   (Australia)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

EID: 84875311450     PISSN: 09695958     EISSN: 14699257     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1080/09695958.2012.758040     Document Type: Article

References (181)

1. This survey, commissioned by LexisNexis UK, canvassed the views of 100 UK lawyers (from sole practitioners to magic circle partners) to learn about their adoption of the latest breed of technology: LexisNexis & Jures (2010, p. 5), available at: http://www.docstoc.com/docs/93354316/Are-Lawyers-Early-Adopters. Although this is a UK based study there is no reason to believe that Australian lawyers would perceive of their use of technology any differently. Currently there are no research findings that relate specifically to how Australian lawyers are using technology and their attitudes to such use in legal practice.
2. Stephanie Kimbro, Virtual Law Practice: How to Deliver Legal Services Online (ABA, Law Practice Management Section, 2010a), pp. 1-3.
3. Sucharita Mulpuru, US Online Retail Forecast, 2010 to 2015 eCommerce Growth Accelerates Following 'The Great Recession', available at: http://www.forrester.com/rb/Research/us_online_retail_forecast,_2010_to_2015/q/id/58596/t/2. These forecasts include business-to-consumer sales excluding travel and financial services but are inclusive of legal services.
4. Forrester Research (2011a), available at: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20110228005297/en/Double-Digit-Growth-Online-Retail-Western-Europe.
5. Forrester Research (2011b), available at: http://www.forrester.com/rb/Research/australian_online_retail_forecast,_2010_to_2015/q/id/58276/t/2.
6. Sucharita Mulpuru, US Online Retail Forecast, 2010 to 2015 eCommerce Growth Accelerates Following 'The Great Recession', available at: http://www.forrester.com/rb/Research/us_online_retail_forecast,_2010_to_2015/q/id/58596/t/2. These forecasts include business-to-consumer sales excluding travel and financial services but are inclusive of legal services.
7. See American Bar Association's (ABA) Legal Technology Resource Center, 2010 Legal Technology Survey Report: Vol. IV-Web and Communication Technology (ABA, 2010), pp. 23-24.
8. Technology is used in many courts and tribunals today to improve service, efficiency and coordination between jurisdictions, both in court rooms and in court administration. Technology has improved court accessibility, especially for those in regional areas, or those from multicultural backgrounds or with a disability.
9. A survey of 256 law firms undertaken through the Queensland Law Society during April 2007 revealed that, of all surveyed, 100 per cent use a computer, 98 per cent are connected to the Internet and 59 per cent have a web presence: Queensland Law Society, Lawyers E-business Report (May 2007), p. 4, available at: http://www.qls.com.au/content/lwp/wcm/connect/QLS/Knowledge+Centre/Areas+of+Law/Practice+Management/Lawyers+e-business+report.
10. See Bespoke Law's website for further information about their virtual law practices, available at: http://www.bespokelaw.com/Home.
11. Lawyers on road to social networking addiction, Lawyers Weekly, 21 October 2010, available at: http://www.lawyersweekly.com.au/blogs/top_stories/archive/2010/10/21/lawyers-on-road-to-socialnetworking-addiction.aspx. In May 2011, for example, Mallesons Stephen Jaques launched a Facebook page to attract graduates and summer clerks: Sue Ashe, Can law firms be friends with social media?, Lawyers Weekly, 7 July 2011, available at: http://www.lawyersweekly.com.au/blogs/opinion/archive/2011/07/07/can-law-firms-be-friends-with-social-media.aspx. Similarly, Clayton Utz is using Twitter to publish research and opinion pieces by its lawyers: Scott Murdoch, Law firms, banks join in social media bandwagon, The Australian, 22 January 2011, available at: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/law-firms-banks-join-social-media-bandwagon/storye6frg8zx-1225992591224.
12. Swaab Attorney, Herbert Greer and Lavan Legal, for example, are known to have outsourced support services, see: 2009 in review. Key trends: speaking out about outsourcing, Lawyers Weekly, 13 December 2009, available at: http://www.lawyersweekly.com.au/blogs/special_reports/archive/2009/12/13/2009-in-review-key-trends-speaking-out-about-outsourcing.aspx.
13. Legal outsourcing out in the open, Lawyers Weekly, 23 July 2009, available at: http://www.lawyersweekly.com.au/blogs/best_practice/archive/2009/07/23/legal-outsourcing-out-in-the-open.aspx
14. See http://www.exigentlpo.com/.
15. The American Bar Association's (ABA) Legal Technology Resource Center has provided ABA members with practical technology services and guidance for many years. For further information about the work of the Center, see http://www.americanbar.org/groups/departments_offices/legal_technology_resources/about_us.html.
16. See http://www.americanbar.org/groups/professional_responsibility/aba_commission_on_ethics_20_20.html.
17. ABA, Preliminary Issues Outline (19 November 2009), available at: http://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/migrated/2011_build/ethics_2020/preliminary_issues_outline.authcheckdam.pdf.
18. See the website of the ABA Commission on Ethics 20/20, available at: http://www.americanbar. org/groups/professional_responsibility/aba_commission_on_ethics_20_20/priorities_policy. html.
19. Comments received by the ABA Commission on Domestic and International Outsourcing are available at: http://www.americanbar.org/groups/professional_responsibility/aba_commission_on_ethics_20_20/comments.html.
20. ABA Commission on Ethics 20/20, Discussion Draft Regarding Domestic and International Outsourcing (November 2010c), available at: http://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/migrated/ethics2020/pdfs/discussion_draft.authcheckdam.pdf.
21. ABA Commission on Ethics 20/20 (May 2011).
22. Model Rule 1.1: A lawyer shall provide competent representation to a client. Competent representation requires the legal knowledge, skill, thoroughness and preparation reasonably necessary for the representation.
23. ABA Commission on Ethics 20/20, Initial Draft Proposal on Outsourcing (May 2011a), p. 1, available at: http://www.americanbar.org/groups/professional_responsibility/aba_commission_on_ethics_20_20/initial_proposals.html.
24. ABA Commission on Ethics 20/20 Working Group on the Implications of New Technologies, For Comment: Issues Paper Concerning Lawyers' Use of Internet Based Client Development Tools (September 2010a), available at: http://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/migrated/2011_build/ethics_2020/clientdevelopment_issuespaper.authcheckdam.pdf; ABA Commission on Ethics 20/20 Working Group on the Implications of New Technologies, For Comment: Issues Paper Concerning Client Confidentiality and Lawyers' Use of Technology (September 2010b), available at: http://www. americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/migrated/2011_build/ethics_2020/clientconfidentiality_issuespaper.authcheckdam.pdf.
25. Comments received by the ABA Commission on New Technologies Issues Papers are available at: http://www.americanbar.org/groups/professional_responsibility/aba_commission_on_ethics_20_20/comments.html.
26. ABA Commission on Ethics 20/20, Initial Draft Proposals-Technology and Confidentiality (May 2011b), available at: http://www.americanbar.org/groups/professional_responsibility/aba_commission_on_ethics_20_20/initial_proposals.html.
27. ABA Commission on Ethics 20/20, Initial Draft Proposals-Technology and Confidentiality (May 2011b), available at: http://www.americanbar.org/groups/professional_responsibility/aba_commission_on_ethics_20_20/initial_proposals.html.
28. ABA Commission on Ethics 20/20, Initial Draft Proposals-Technology and Confidentiality (May 2011b), available at: http://www.americanbar.org/groups/professional_responsibility/aba_commission_on_ethics_20_20/initial_proposals.html.
29. The Comment to Model Rule 1.0 [Terminology] explains that screening applies "to situations where screening of a personally disqualified lawyer is permitted to remove imputation of a conflict of interest. " and that "the purpose of screening is to assure the affected parties that confidential information known by the personally disqualified lawyer remains protected. "
30. ABA Commission on Ethics 20/20, Initial Draft Proposals-Technology and Confidentiality (May 2011b), available at: http://www.americanbar.org/groups/professional_responsibility/aba_commission_on_ethics_20_20/initial_proposals.html.
31. ABA Commission on Ethics 20/20, Initial Draft Proposals-Technology and Confidentiality (May 2011b), available at: http://www.americanbar.org/groups/professional_responsibility/aba_commission_on_ethics_20_20/initial_proposals.html.
32. ABA Commission on Ethics 20/20, Initial Draft Proposals-Technology and Confidentiality (May 2011b), available at: http://www.americanbar.org/groups/professional_responsibility/aba_commission_on_ethics_20_20/initial_proposals.html.
33. ABA Commission on Ethics 20/20, Initial Draft Proposals-Technology and Confidentiality (May 2011b), available at: http://www.americanbar.org/groups/professional_responsibility/aba_commission_on_ethics_20_20/initial_proposals.html.
34. ABA Commission on Ethics 20/20, Initial Draft Proposal-Technology and Advertising (June 2011c), available at: http://www.americanbar.org/groups/professional_responsibility/aba_commission_on_ethics_20_20/initial_proposals.html.
35. Ulrich Beck and Edgar Grande, "Cosmopolitanism: Europe'sWay Out of Crisis, " European Journal of Social Theory, Vol. 10, No. 1 (2007), pp. 67-85.
36. Ulrich Beck and Edgar Grande, "Cosmopolitanism: Europe'sWay Out of Crisis, " European Journal of Social Theory, Vol. 10, No. 1 (2007), pp. 67-85.
37. ABA Commission on Ethics 20/20, Initial Draft Proposals-Technology and Confidentiality (May 2011b), available at: http://www.americanbar.org/groups/professional_responsibility/aba_commission_on_ethics_20_20/initial_proposals.html.
38. ABA Commission on Ethics and Professional Responsibility, Formal Opinion 08-451 (2008), p. 3.
39. ABA Commission on Ethics 20/20, Introduction and Overview (August 2012), available at: http://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/administrative/ethics_2020/20120508_ethics_20_20_final_hod_introdution_and_overview_report.authcheckdam.pdf.
40. ABA Commission on Ethics 20/20, Standing Committee of Client Protection, Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility, Standing Committee on Professional Discipline, Standing Committee on Professionalism, Standing Committee on Specialization, New York State Bar Association, "Resolution" (August 2012), available at: http://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/administrative/ethics_2020/2012_hod_annual_meeting_105a_filed_may_2012.authcheckdam.pdf.
41. ABA Commission on Ethics 20/20, Standing Committee of Client Protection, Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility, Standing Committee on Professional Discipline, Standing Committee on Professionalism, Standing Committee on Specialization, New York State Bar Association, "Resolution" (August 2012), available at: http://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/administrative/ethics_2020/2012_hod_annual_meeting_105b_filed_may_2012.authcheckdam.pdf.
42. ABA Commission on Ethics 20/20, Standing Committee of Client Protection, Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility, Standing Committee on Professional Discipline, Standing Committee on Professionalism, Standing Committee on Specialization, New York State Bar Association, "Resolution" (August 2012), available at: http://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/administrative/ethics_2020/2012_hod_annual_meeting_105c_filed_may_2012.authcheckdam.pdf.
43. ABA Commission on Ethics 20/20, Introduction and Overview (August 2012), available at: http://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/administrative/ethics_2020/20120508_ethics_20_20_final_hod_introdution_and_overview_report.authcheckdam.pdf
44. ABA Commission on Ethics 20/20, Introduction and Overview (August 2012), available at: http://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/administrative/ethics_2020/20120508_ethics_20_20_final_hod_introdution_and_overview_report.authcheckdam.pdf
45. The SRA Solicitors' Code of Conduct 2007 is available at: http://www.sra.org.uk/solicitors/codeof-conduct.page.
46. The SRA July 2010 Public Statements are available at: http://lpoethics.com/sra-july-2010-publicstatement/.
47. The introduction to the Handbook on p. 3 states: "Although firms now have greater freedom in the way they offer services (e.g. outsourcing certain functions), they may not abrogate responsibility for compliance with regulatory requirements. " Then in Chapter 4 (Dealing with Confidentiality and Disclosure), at Indicative Behaviour 4.3, the SRA advises solicitors that:. ". you only outsource services when you are satisfied that the provider has taken all appropriate steps to ensure that your clients' confidential information will be protected. " In Chapter 7 (in relation to Management of Your Business), the Handbook states at Outcome (7.10):. ". where you outsource legal activities or any operational functions that are critical to the delivery of any legal activities, you ensure such outsourcing. is subject to contractual arrangements that enable the SRA or its agent to obtain information from, inspect the records (including electronic records) of, or enter the premises of, the third party, in relation to the outsourced activities or functions. "
48. The Law Society of England and Wales, Outsourcing (October 2011), available at: http://www. lawsociety.org.uk/advice/practice-notes/outsourcing/.
49. The Law Society of England and Wales, Social Media (December 2011), available at: http://www. lawsociety.org.uk/advice/practice-notes/social-media/.
50. CCBE, CCBE Guidelines on Legal Outsourcing (2010), available at: http://www.ccbe.eu/index.php? id=12&L=0.
51. CCBE, CCBE Guidelines on Legal Outsourcing (2010), available at: http://www.ccbe.eu/index.php? id=12&L=0.
52. CCBE, CCBE Guidelines on Legal Outsourcing (2010), available at: http://www.ccbe.eu/index.php? id=12&L=0.
53. CCBE, CCBE Guidelines on Legal Outsourcing (2010), available at: http://www.ccbe.eu/index.php? id=12&L=0.
54. CCBE, CCBE Guidelines on Legal Outsourcing (2010), available at: http://www.ccbe.eu/index.php? id=12&L=0.
55. CCBE, CCBE Guidelines on Legal Outsourcing (2010), available at: http://www.ccbe.eu/index.php? id=12&L=0.
56. CCBE, CCBE Guidelines on Legal Outsourcing (2010), available at: http://www.ccbe.eu/index.php? id=12&L=0.
57. The Law Society of British Columbia, Report of the Cloud Computing Working Group (Cloud Computing Working Group, July 2011).
58. The Law Society of British Columbia, Report of the Cloud Computing Working Group (Cloud Computing Working Group, July 2011).
59. The Law Society of British Columbia, Report of the Cloud Computing Working Group (Cloud Computing Working Group, July 2011).
60. The Law Society of British Columbia, Report of the Cloud Computing Working Group (Cloud Computing Working Group, July 2011).
61. The Law Society of British Columbia, Social Media and Social Networking Policies and Procedures, available at: http://www.lawsociety.bc.ca/page.cfm?cid=947&t=Model-Policies.
62. The Law Society ofUpper Canada, Online Activity and SocialMedia Policy, available at: http://rc.lsuc. on.ca/pdf/kt/67_6370_OnlineActivitySocialMediaPolicy2010.pdf.
63. The Canadian Bar Association, Guidelines for Practising Ethically with New Information Technologies, available at: http://www.cba.org/cba/activities/pdf/guidelines-eng.pdf.
64. Law Commission, Review of the Privacy Act 1993: Review of the Law of Privacy Stage 4 NZLC R123 (August 2011).
65. See The Online Bar, available at: http://www.theonlinebar.com/about.
66. To this end the NSW Office of the Legal Services Commissioner has been involved in the ABA inquiries. In August 2010 the Legal Services Commissioner was a panel member at the ABA Annual Meeting in San Francisco in a session entitled 'The Impact of Technology and Globalization on Ethics for the 21st Century Lawyer', which focused on the ethical challenges of running a virtual law firm and outsourcing legal work. The OLSC has continued to maintain a dialogue with the ABA Commission on Ethics concerning these issues. For further details of this session see American Bar Association, 2010 San Francisco Annual Meeting CLE Programs (7 June 2010), available at: http://www2.americanbar.org/annual/pdfs/ABA-Annual-2010-SFCLE-Programs.pdf.
67. We note that there is a dearth of reliable data in some areas relevant to our discussion upon which we can draw and recognise this may limit our discussion; however, we hope that our discussion may generate interest in this area and precipitate more systematic research to inform future discourse around these issues.
68. Marcia Proctor, Considerations in outsourcing legal work (2005) 84 Michigan Bar Journal 20.
69. Cassandra Robertson, A collaborative model of offshore legal outsourcing (2011) 43 Arizona State Law Journal 125, 129-132.
70. ABA Commission on Ethics 20/20, Initial Draft Proposals-Technology and Confidentiality (May 2011b), available at: http://www.americanbar.org/groups/professional_responsibility/aba_commission_on_ethics_20_20/initial_proposals.html.
71. ABA Commission on Ethics 20/20, Initial Draft Proposals-Technology and Confidentiality (May 2011b), available at: http://www.americanbar.org/groups/professional_responsibility/aba_commission_on_ethics_20_20/initial_proposals.html.
72. Cassandra Robertson, A collaborative model of offshore legal outsourcing (2011) 43 Arizona State Law Journal 125, 129-132.
73. Leah Cooper, Outsourcing takes off among corporate legal clients, The Australian, 12 November 2010. This research was commissioned by CPA Global in conjunction with the Financial Times Innovative Lawyers Awards.
74. ABA Commission on Ethics 20/20, Initial Draft Proposals-Technology and Confidentiality (May 2011b), available at: http://www.americanbar.org/groups/professional_responsibility/aba_commission_on_ethics_20_20/initial_proposals.html.
75. Aaron Harmon, The ethics of legal process outsourcing-is the practice of law a 'noble profession', or is it just another business? (2007) 13 Journal of Technology Law & Policy 41, 56.
76. Cassandra Robertson, A collaborative model of offshore legal outsourcing (2011) 43 Arizona State Law Journal 125, 129-132.
77. Mark Smith, Does outsourcing spell Armageddon for the legal profession, Legalweek. com, 22 February 2011, available at: http://www.legalweek.com/legal-week/blog-post/2027854/outsourcingspell-armageddon-legal-profession.
78. The Law Society of British Columbia, Report of the Cloud Computing Working Group (Cloud Computing Working Group, July 2011).
79. ABA Commission on Ethics 20/20, Initial Draft Proposals-Technology and Confidentiality (May 2011b), available at: http://www.americanbar.org/groups/professional_responsibility/aba_commission_on_ethics_20_20/initial_proposals.html.
80. The Law Society of British Columbia, Report of the Cloud Computing Working Group (Cloud Computing Working Group, July 2011).
81. Lee Patterson III, Outsourcing of legal services: a brief survey of the practice and the minimal impact of protectionist legislation (2008) 7 Richmond Journal of Global Law & Business 177, 182.
82. Cassandra Robertson, A collaborative model of offshore legal outsourcing (2011) 43 Arizona State Law Journal 125, 129-132.
83. Cassandra Robertson, A collaborative model of offshore legal outsourcing (2011) 43 Arizona State Law Journal 125, 129-132.
84. Aaron Harmon, The ethics of legal process outsourcing-is the practice of law a 'noble profession', or is it just another business? (2007) 13 Journal of Technology Law & Policy 41, 56.
85. Lee Patterson III, Outsourcing of legal services: a brief survey of the practice and the minimal impact of protectionist legislation (2008) 7 Richmond Journal of Global Law & Business 177, 182.
86. Lee Patterson III, Outsourcing of legal services: a brief survey of the practice and the minimal impact of protectionist legislation (2008) 7 Richmond Journal of Global Law & Business 177, 182.
87. Lee Patterson III, Outsourcing of legal services: a brief survey of the practice and the minimal impact of protectionist legislation (2008) 7 Richmond Journal of Global Law & Business 177, 182.
88. Lee Patterson III, Outsourcing of legal services: a brief survey of the practice and the minimal impact of protectionist legislation (2008) 7 Richmond Journal of Global Law & Business 177, 182.
89. Aaron Harmon, The ethics of legal process outsourcing-is the practice of law a 'noble profession', or is it just another business? (2007) 13 Journal of Technology Law & Policy 41, 56.
90. Aaron Harmon, The ethics of legal process outsourcing-is the practice of law a 'noble profession', or is it just another business? (2007) 13 Journal of Technology Law & Policy 41, 56.
91. See, e.g., Richard Susskind, Rio Tinto deal heralds huge changes, Times Online, 18 June 2009, available at: http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/law/article6523920.ece.
92. Legal outsourcing out in the open, Lawyers Weekly, 23 July 2009, available at: http://www.lawyersweekly.com.au/blogs/best_practice/archive/2009/07/23/legal-outsourcing-out-in-the-open.aspx
93. Legal outsourcing out in the open, Lawyers Weekly, 23 July 2009, available at: http://www.lawyersweekly.com.au/blogs/best_practice/archive/2009/07/23/legal-outsourcing-out-in-the-open.aspx
94. Aaron Harmon, The ethics of legal process outsourcing-is the practice of law a 'noble profession', or is it just another business? (2007) 13 Journal of Technology Law & Policy 41, 56.
95. UK firms keen on Oz outsourcing, Lawyers Weekly, 14 July 2010, available at: http://www. lawyersweekly.com.au/blogs/top_stories/archive/2010/07/14/uk-firms-keen-on-oz-outsourcing.aspx.
96. For further information about the history of CPA Global, see http://www.cpaglobal.com/about_cpa_global.
97. Virginia Harrison, Low-level legal work goes offshore but it's still in-house, The Australian, 23 April 2010.
98. Blakes hooked on outsourcing, Lawyers Weekly, 15 November 2010, available at: http://www. lawyersweekly.com.au/blogs/top_stories/archive/2010/11/15/blakes-hooked-on-outsourcing.aspx.
99. Advent Lawyers, Press Release: Advent Signs Strategic Alliance with Leading Global Outsourcer Pangea3 (8 April 2010), p. 1, available at: http://adventlawyers.com/go/advent/linkservid/42A01B84-FF81-31F8-E4091C6A4EFE95F3/showMeta/0/.
100. Advent Lawyers, Press Release: Advent Signs Strategic Alliance with Leading Global Outsourcer Pangea3 (8 April 2010), p. 1, available at: http://adventlawyers.com/go/advent/linkservid/42A01B84-FF81-31F8-E4091C6A4EFE95F3/showMeta/0/.
101. Virginia Harrison, Low-level legal work goes offshore but it's still in-house, The Australian, 23 April 2010.
102. Virginia Harrison, Low-level legal work goes offshore but it's still in-house, The Australian, 23 April 2010.
103. Virginia Harrison, Low-level legal work goes offshore but it's still in-house, The Australian, 23 April 2010.
104. Giannarelli v Wraith [1988] 165 CLR 543, at 555-556 (Mason CJ), at 586-587 (Brennan J).
105. Hospital Products Limited v United States Surgical Corp [1984] 156 CLR 4.
106. See also Law Council of Australia, Australian Solicitors' Conduct Rules (June 2011), Rule 9.
107. In 2009-2010, 2.5 per cent of written complaints to the Office of the Legal Services Commissioner in NSW concerned allegations of conflicts of interests. Complaints alleging conflicts of interest in 2009-2010 increased by 0.5 per cent from the previous year (2008-2009): Office of the Legal Services Commissioner of NSW (2009-2010) Annual Report.
108. See Rules 103-111 of the Barristers' Rules and Rules 2, 3, 9, 10, 11, and 12 of the Solicitors' Rules.
109. Prince Jefri Bolkiah v KPMG (a firm) [1999] 2 AC 222 at 234-235 (Lord Millett).
110. Prince Jefri Bolkiah v KPMG (a firm) [1999] 2 AC 222 at 234-235 (Lord Millett).
111. See also Law Council of Australia, Australian Solicitors' Conduct Rules (June 2011), Rule 4.
112. The issue of supervision has been the subject of several matters before the Legal Services Division of the Administrative Decisions Tribunal in NSW. See for example, Leon Nikolaidis v Legal Services Commissioner [2007] NSWCA 130.
113. Hawkins v Clayton [1988] 164 CLR 539.
114. Gallagher v Carman [1990] Aust Torts Reports 67,655 at 81-011.
115. Rogers v Whitaker [1992] 175 CLR 479 at 12.
116. See, e.g., Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW), s 5O.
117. See, e.g., Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW), s 5O.
118. See, e.g., Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW), s 5O.
119. The growth of virtual law firms, Lawontheweb. co. uk, available at: http://www.lawontheweb.co.uk/Virtual_Law_Firms/The_Growth_of_Virtual_Law_Firms.
120. Poly Botsford, Virtual law firms: are they the place for you, Times Online, 20 May 2010, available at: http://business.timesonline.co. uk/tol/business/law/student/article7128423.ece.
121. Stephanie Kimbro, Virtual Law Practice: How to Deliver Legal Services Online (ABA, Law Practice Management Section, 2010a), pp. 1-3.
122. Stephanie Kimbro, Virtual Law Practice: How to Deliver Legal Services Online (ABA, Law Practice Management Section, 2010a), pp. 1-3.
123. Richard Acello, Get your head in the cloud, ABA Journal, 1 April 2010, available at: http://www. abajournal.com/magazine/article/get_your_head_in_the_cloud/.
124. Aviva Cuyler & Nicole Black, Virtual law practice: a passing trend or the way of the future (2009) 26 GP Solo 1, available at: http://www.americanbar.org/newsletter/publications/gp_solo_magazine_home/gp_solo_magazine_index/virtuallawpractice.html.
125. The growth of virtual law firms, Lawontheweb. co. uk, available at: http://www.lawontheweb.co.uk/Virtual_Law_Firms/The_Growth_of_Virtual_Law_Firms.
126. For example, Rocket Matter offers web-based practice management and time and billing solutions designed exclusively for the legal industry: http://www.rocketmatter.com/.
127. The growth of virtual law firms, Lawontheweb. co. uk, available at: http://www.lawontheweb.co.uk/Virtual_Law_Firms/The_Growth_of_Virtual_Law_Firms.
128. Aviva Cuyler & Nicole Black, Law Practice Management in the Cloud, (12 May 2009), available at: http://21stcenturylaw.wordpress.com/2009/05/12/law-practice-management-in-the-cloud/.
129. Stephanie Kimbro, Inspired Solo-Stephanie Kimbro the Virtual Law Office, available at: http://www. theinspiredsolo.com/inspired-solo-stephanie-kimbro-the-virtual-law-office/.
130. Unbundling legal services in a virtual law practice benefits the public, VirtualLawPractice. org, 1 December 2008, available at: http://virtuallawpractice.org/2008/12/unbundling-legal-services-ina-virtual-law-practice-benefits-the-public/.
131. Ruth Stevens, Unbundling of legal services: selected resources (2010) 89 Michigan Bar Journal 54.
132. See Bespoke Law, http://www.bespokelaw.com/Home.
133. See http://www.adroitlawyers.com.au/.
134. See http://www.idealaw.com.au/default.asp?page=cms_index.
135. See also http://www.odysseylawyers.com/. Odyssey Lawyers, is a VLF with two branch offices in Queensland. The firm allows their clients to meet with them face-to-face online using Internet telephone services such as Skype and Messenger. Odyssey also offers clients a mobile legal service in which lawyers from Odyssey will visit the client's home.
136. Thomas Claburn, Twitter hack tars Google's cloud, Information Week, 16 July 2009, available at: http://www.informationweek.com/news/internet/google/218500810.
137. eLawyering Task Force, Suggested Minimum Requirements for Law Firms Delivering Legal Services Online (ABA Practice Management Section, 2009), p. 1.
138. eLawyering Task Force, Suggested Minimum Requirements for Law Firms Delivering Legal Services Online (ABA Practice Management Section, 2009), p. 1.
139. eLawyering Task Force, Suggested Minimum Requirements for Law Firms Delivering Legal Services Online (ABA Practice Management Section, 2009), p. 1.
140. Stephanie Kimbro, Virtual Law Practice: How to Deliver Legal Services Online (ABA, Law Practice Management Section, 2010a), pp. 1-3.
141. LawCloud, White Paper-Cloud Security Considerations: A Best Practice Guide for UK Law Firms, (2011), available at: http://www.lawcloud.co.uk/security.
142. eLawyering Task Force, Suggested Minimum Requirements for Law Firms Delivering Legal Services Online (ABA Practice Management Section, 2009), p. 1.
143. eLawyering Task Force, Suggested Minimum Requirements for Law Firms Delivering Legal Services Online (ABA Practice Management Section, 2009), p. 1.
144. VLFs also give rise to complex issues that result from the fact that the virtual world extends beyond national boundaries and borders. Two key questions for consideration arise here. First, how can confidentiality be ensured or maintained when the legal work or service provided crosses state or national boundaries with little or no capacity for direct control or supervision? Secondly, how can confidentiality be ensured or maintained when the legal work or service provided crosses state or national boundaries where no formal rules concerning confidentiality exist? These questions have yet to be comprehensively examined globally.
145. Stephanie Kimbro, Practicing Law Online: Creating a Web-Based Virtual Law Office (2009), p. 28, available at: http://www.vlotech.com/ebooks/PracticingLawOnline.pdf.
146. Stephanie Kimbro, Best practice tips for the virtual law office (2010b) 89 Michigan Bar Journal 58, 58-59.
147. Stephanie Kimbro, Best practice tips for the virtual law office (2010b) 89 Michigan Bar Journal 58, 58-59.
148. Stephanie Kimbro, Best practice tips for the virtual law office (2010b) 89 Michigan Bar Journal 58, 58-59.
149. Stephanie Kimbro, Best practice tips for the virtual law office (2010b) 89 Michigan Bar Journal 58, 58-59.
150. Leslie Levin, Preliminary reflections on the professional development of solo and small law firm practitioners (2001) 70 Fordham Law Review 847, 871.
151. Joseph Kashi, Technology and economics are changing how you practice law (1994) 20 Law Practice Management 44, 46.
152. Stephanie Kimbro, Best practice tips for the virtual law office (2010b) 89 Michigan Bar Journal 58, 58-59.
153. That is, law firms ranked within the top 200 grossing firms in the United States.
154. 2010 Corporate Counsel New Media Engagement Survey, available at: http://www.greentarget.net/Portals/0/Corporate%20Counsel%20Survey%20Report%20Final.pdf, Greentarget Strategic Communications, AM Legal Intelligence, Zeughauser Group, p. 2.
155. Especially Clayton Utz, Mallesons, Freehills, Allens, Blake Dawson Waldron, Norton Rose and Corrs.
156. See for example, MallesonsStephen Jacques, Media Release: 'Mallesons Launches Facebook Page for Law Students', 13 May 2011, available at: http://www.mallesons.com/MarketInsights/mediaReleases/2011/Pages/Mallesons-launches-Facebook-page-for-law-students.aspx.
157. Stephanie Kimbro, Best practice tips for the virtual law office (2010b) 89 Michigan Bar Journal 58, 58-59.
158. Microblogs is a webserve that allows users to exchange small elements of content such as short sentences, individual images or video links. See http://searchmobilecomputing.techtarget.com/definition/microblogging.
159. That is, law firms that are ranked within the top 100 grossing firms in the United States.
160. Adrian Dayton, How are AmLaw 100 firms using Twitter?, The National Law Journal, 13 July 2011, available at: http://www.law.com/jsp/nlj/PubArticleNLJ.jsp?id=1202500674237&How_are_AmLaw__firms_using_Twitter&slreturn=1&hbxlogin=1.
161. See http://twitter.com/#!/thelegaloracle.
162. See http://www.expert-answers.co.uk/.
163. Press Release, Expert-answers. co. uk revolutionises the provision of Legal Advice, journalism. co. uk, 4 January 2011, available at: http://www.journalism.co.uk/press-releases/expert-answers-co-ukrevolutionises-the-provision-of-legal-advice/s66/a542121/.
164. See http://www.mylawfirm.com.au/#.
165. See http://www.mylawfirm.com.au/spages.php?page=faq.
166. See http://www.virtualesq.com/freeconsult.html.
167. See for example, http://ww2.justanswer.com/terms-service-0#posts.
168. The Office of the Legal Services Commissioner (OLSC) receives complaints about solicitors and barristers in NSW. The OLSC works as part of a co-regulatory system, together with the Law Society of NSW (professional body for solicitors) and the NSW Bar Association (professional body for barristers) to resolve disputes and investigate complaints about professional conduct. According to the OLSC's 2009-2010 Annual Report, 15.3 per cent of complaints classified as consumer disputes received during the 2009-2010 financial reporting period related to communication issues: OLSC Annual Report 2009-2010, p. 12.
169. Legal Cloud Computing Association, Letter to the ABA Commission on Ethics 20/20, 15 July 2011, available at: http://www.legalcloudcomputingassociation.org/Home/response-to-commission-onethics-20-20-proposals.
170. New York State Bar Association Committee of Standards of Attorney Conduct, Comments on Ethics 20/20 Draft Reports on Outsourcing and Technology and Confidentiality, 15 July 2011, available at: http://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/administrative/ethics_2020/20110714_outsourcing_comments_all.authcheckdam.pdf. Further the Standing Committee of Paralegals of the American Bar Association has described the proposed amendments as "thorough and thoughtful": see Standing Committee on Paralegals, American Bar Association, Letter to the ABA Commission on Ethics 20/20, 15 July 2011, available at: http://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/administrative/ethics_2020/20110714_outsourcing_comments_all.authcheckdam.pdf.
171. Draft Code of Conduct, Chapter 4: Dealing with Confidentiality and Disclosure, Indicative Behaviour 4.3, available at: http://www.sra.org.uk/documents/solicitors/handbook/draft-newcode-conduct.pdf.
172. Expanding on Formal Opinion 88-356.
173. Interfirm Comparison (Aust) Pty Ltd v Law Society of New South Wales [1975] 2 NSWLR 104.
174. The rule provides that lawyers who possess "managerial authority" or "direct supervisory authority" over non-lawyers must ensure that the conduct of the non-lawyer is compatible with the "professional obligations of the lawyer" as the lawyer will bear responsibility for any violation of the professional conduct rules if they are considered to have ratified the violatory conduct in question, or have failed to mitigate the conduct at a time when its consequences could have been avoided. Therefore lawyers must ensure that non-lawyers have been given appropriate instructions and adequate supervision, as well as ensuring appropriate in-house policies and procedures have been implemented to ensure non-lawyers comply with the professional conduct rules.
175. American Bar Association, Rule 5.3 Responsibilities Regarding Nonlawyer Assistants-Comment, available at: http://www.americanbar.org/groups/professional_responsibility/publications/model_rules_of_professional_conduct/rule_5_3_responsibilities_regarding_nonlawyer_assistant/comment_on_rule_5_3.html.
176. Stephanie Kimbro, Best practice tips for the virtual law office (2010b) 89 Michigan Bar Journal 58, 58-59.
177. All of the States and Territories in Australia agreed to adopt the same self-assessment programme at the 2006 Conference of Regulatory Officers held in Sydney on 9-10 November 2006. The Conference of Regulatory Officers is the preeminent conference of statutory regulators, law societies, bar associations and admitting authorities involved in the regulation of the legal profession in Australia. See http://www.coro.com.au/.
178. See the webpage of the Attorney-General's Department on the National Legal Profession Reform, available at: http://www.ag.gov.au/legalprofession.
179. A copy of the proposed National Law can be found at the webpage of the Attorney-General's Department on the National Legal Profession Reform at: http://www.ag.gov.au/legalprofession.
180. Under the draft National Laws, as they presently stand, all legal practitioners will have enhanced professional responsibilities. These enhanced professional responsibilities are found in the definition of 'professional obligations' in Part 1.2 of the National Laws. According to the National Laws 'professional obligations' include (d) Ethical standards required to be observed by the practitioner. This is the first time a provision of this nature has been included in legislation concerning the legal profession.
181. The draft Australian Solicitors Conduct Rules, as they are presently known, state that the purpose of the rules is to assist practitioners to act ethically and in accordance with the principles of professional conduct established by the common law and the rules.