LawTechNZ 2016 Conference

Session #

The Impact of Technology on Justice in New Zealand

Jarrod Coburn, CEO, Ebborn Law Ltd

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A Bit About Me

LawTech NZ – 4th Annual Conference

• I remember TV licences• My first computer was an Apple ][c• I run the most future-focused law firm in NZ*

*according to me

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My Thesis

1. Not everyone in NZ has equal access to justice2. Technology has an impact on access to justice

3. BUT it is not the great equaliser: technology just changes the parameters

4. SO the legal profession needs to shift its position too, or face the consequences!


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Access to Justice

• Cappelletti• Winkelman• Professor Moorhead (Cardiff University)

“Access to justice means being treated fairly according to the law … that doesn’t just mean access to lawyers and

courts … it means access to ombudsmen, advice agencies and the Police … it means public authorities behaving

properly … everyone having some basic understanding of their rights. It means making law less complex and more

intelligible.”LawTech NZ – 4th Annual Conference

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How Do We Rate? Legal Aid, Community Law, Citizens Advice Bureau, helplines,

online government information, Radio New Zealand

Auditor General, Office of the Ombudsman, Independent Police Complaints Authority, Lawyers & Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal

One of the lowest levels of corruption in the world

We don’t teach civics in our schools

Government has moved to make Court and other official processes more accessible online


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Impact of Technology

• Accessibility• Democracy• Simplification• Equity


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Impact of Technology

• Virtual Fear• Cost of Engaging• Temporal Implosion• Techtards


8LawTech NZ – 4th Annual Conference

Grandpa, tell us the story of teh

Techtards!

No Sally, there are law firms listening

that might get scared.

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Consequences of Not Shifting

• Haves and have-nots• The geeks will

inherit ..the Earth• End of days


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Haves and Have-Nots


• ‘Digital Divide’• Self-Propelled Segregation• Digital Apartheid

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The Geeks Will Inherit The Earth

• Porter’s Five Forces• Threat of ‘new entrants’• Your world is about to be rocked


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Michael Porter


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Existing Competition

Power of Suppliers

Threat of Substitution

Power of Buyers

Threat of New

Entrants

Porter’s Five Forces


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Threat of New Entrants

• ‘Millennials’• Law Degree plus fries• Tech-savvy• Stand aside Sir Ed, Zuckerberg is their hero!



Mark Zuckerberg

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‘Facebook’ Business Model of Law


Clients of new legal servicesregard the product they receive

as just another commodity, withthe same lack of emotional attachment and prestige as purchasing a soft drink.

New legal services are nolonger accessed in a bricks-and-mortar environment: they happenanywhere that is convenient to theclient.

New legal services are omniscient and have a high visibility. The mystique of

lawyers and law is diminished andthe core services are what

really matter.

New legal services do not discriminate or seek a ‘certain class’ of client… it’swhoever can pay for the servicesthat are on offer.

Target Market: Anyone

Value Proposition:Widely known, accessible

Core Capability:Commodity, nothing special, pragmatic

Distribution Channel: World Wide Web

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Your World is About to get Rocked


PLEASE HELP!NEED TECH SUPPORT

• Industrial Era governance• Freeware• Out-house support• Tech-beggars

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The times, they are a changin’


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Meanwhile, in Godzone…


Meanwhile,


Denial

Fear

Ignorance

Tradition

LAWMAGEDDON

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Conclusion

• Powerpoint• Justice• Technology• Geeks• Digital apartheid• Techtardation• Tech-begging• Lawmageddon


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Questions?
