The Menzies Foundation, in collaboration with Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Ethics (CAIDE) at University of Melbourne, is proud to announce the release of New Legal Thinking for Emerging Technologies, a pivotal report addressing the challenges and opportunities presented by emerging technologies for the legal profession, drawing on extensive research to provide actionable insights and recommendations to equip lawyers with the skills, knowledge, and frameworks needed to lead in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.
Authored by Dr. Fahimeh Abedi, Research Fellow, Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Ethics, University of Melbourne, Professor Tim Miller, School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Queensland and Professor Atif Ahmad, School of Computing and Information Systems, University of Melbourne bring a wealth of expertise to this critical discussion, providing an in-depth analysis of the current state of the legal profession’s engagement with emerging technologies and offer practical strategies to bridge existing gaps.
Read the Report: The New Legal Thinking for Emerging Technologies report is available for download here
The report highlights critical challenges faced by legal professionals in navigating technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, and big data, including:
Regulatory Gaps: A lack of clarity and consistency in laws governing emerging technologies forces lawyers to rely on ad hoc strategies in the absence of precedents or clear directives.
Ethical Complexities: Legal practitioners are increasingly grappling with ethical issues around privacy, data governance, and AI, highlighting the urgent need for robust ethical frameworks.
Collaboration Barriers: Limited interdisciplinary collaboration between legal and technical teams constrains the ability to address complex, tech-driven issues effectively.
Capability Deficits: An absence of structured training programs leaves lawyers underprepared to engage with emerging technologies, impeding their ability to provide strategic counsel.
Reframing Roles: Lawyers must move beyond being seen as risk managers to strategic contributors, actively shaping how technologies are implemented and governed within organisations.
Recommendations for the Legal Profession
The report emphasises a multi-faceted approach to address the challenges identified:
- Strengthening legal frameworks to accommodate the pace of technological change.
- Promoting ethical accountability and awareness in professional practices.
- Facilitating structured collaboration between legal and technical teams.
- Implementing targeted education and training programs to build legal-tech literacy and leadership capabilities.
This report reflects the Menzies Foundation’s commitment to building capacity within the legal profession by equipping practitioners with the tools and knowledge needed to address both contemporary and future challenges. Liz Gillies, CEO of the Menzies Foundation, emphasised the importance of this mission;
“Through this collaboration, we reaffirm our dedication to fostering leadership that is prepared to navigate complexity and embrace innovation. Developing resources such as this report, we aim to empower lawyers to become pivotal players in shaping the ethical and strategic integration of technology into society.”
The report also underscores the critical role of the Ninian Stephen Law Program, a key initiative of the Menzies Foundation; championing innovative legal thinking to address complex societal challenges, combining research, education, and collaboration to position the legal profession as a driving force for transformative change in an era of rapid technological advancement.
