Author: Ding Yao

Your typical University student.

TechLaw.Fest 2021 Quick Chats: Alexander H. Southwell, Partner, Co-Chair of Privacy, Cybersecurity and Data Innovation Practice Group, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP

On 19th December 2021

Reading time: 5 minutes

By Utsav Rakshit & Ong Chin Ngee | Edited by Wan Ding Yao

TechLaw.Fest 2021 (“TLF”) took place virtually from 22 September to 24 September 2021, becoming the virtual focal point for leading thinkers, leaders and pioneers in law, business, and technology. LawTech.Asia received the exclusive opportunity to interview Alexander Southwell, Partner at global law firm Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP (Gibson Dunn) post his panel discussion titled “That’s the Way the Cookie Crumbles” alongside Charmian Aw (Reed Smith), Steve Satterfield (Facebook) and Michael Kleber (Google). Alexander co-leads Gibson Dunn’s pre-eminent Privacy, Cybersecurity and Data Innovation Practice Group with Ahmed Baladi, Ashlie Beringer and Connell O’Neill, who were also speakers at TechLaw.Fest 2021. The group advises clients in Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, Latin and North Americas.

While cookies track us, Alexander has been tracking them. We tapped into his knowledge on key issues relating to the evolution of cookies. We also sought his views on tangential topics he specialises in, particularly in the area of data protection, cybersecurity and legal technology and technology law (for which the latter two are key tenets of this year’s TechLaw.Fest!).

LawTech.Asia: Media Partner for TechLaw.Fest 2021!

By Ding Yao

On 22nd September 2021

In Events, Interviews

Reading time: < 1 minute

We are proud to be recognised by the Singapore Academy of Law as an official media partner for TechLaw.Fest 2021!

TechLaw.Fest 2021 (held from 22 September to 24 September) is a signature convention in Singapore that will be the focal point for leading thinkers, leaders and pioneers in law and technology. The key themes for this year’s conference are Legal Operations, Technology of Law, Law of Technology and Access to Justice.

2021’s convention would primarily be conducted online creating an avenue for audiences across the globe to be engaged. Last year’s edition saw a record number of 6,000 participants from more than 100 countries.

Centred around the augmentation of technology application across all sectors, this year’s conference is rooted in the legal and regulatory responses to cybersecurity threats. Additionally, other focal issues encompass intellectual property matters relating to NFTs and the movement away from third-party cookies.

LawTech.Asia will be bringing you regular interviews and shout-outs covering prominent speakers and the topics they will be speaking at TechLaw.Fest. These include Edwin Tong (Second Minister for Law), Shruti Ajitsaria (Allen & Overy) and many more distinguished panellists.

We’re raring to have you join us in exploring the constantly moving intersection of law and technology. Remember to check back on our site regularly to ensure that you get the latest coverage, updates and news about TechLaw.Fest 2021! Also, remember to sign up today – tickets to TechLaw.Fest 2021 are free, but limited in number only!

Software is Eating Law

By Ding Yao

On 25th September 2016

In Legal Innovation, Policy

Reading time: 3 minutes

Written by Kenneth Chan

Software is eating the world, and law is next. New entrants powered by tech are entering the legal market. Singapore’s Ministry of Law is concerned. There will be new winners and losers. As young lawyers, we need to know about the change that will happen within our lifetime.

Four Species of Endangered Lawyers

By Ding Yao

On 25th September 2016

In Legal Innovation, Legal Research

Reading time: 4 minutes

Written by Lynn, David Ho & Lee Ji En

Littered everywhere in the Singapore media is a doomsday prophecy for “young lawyers”. Even if they manage to beat the odds of getting a job amid the ‘glut’ of young lawyers, they are now told to hold off the self-congratulations as junior lawyers’ jobs are on the verge of being cannibalised by artificial intelligence. Last October, the newspaper headline “Technology could oust junior lawyers” brought home the existential threat to young lawyers, through the words of Law Society President Thio Shen Yi SC in the Law Gazette:

“Soon, innovative legal services which mass produce legal solutions may not only be cheaper alternatives to lawyers, but may also become better alternatives as they gain economies of scale.”

But why should the line be drawn between ‘junior’ lawyers and their seniors? In fact, Mr Thio, in his article, explicitly mentioned that “senior lawyers will not be spared either: the development of predictive analysis software has meant that the experience and intuition that we value can now be replaced with a computer’s predictions as to the outcome of a case or its likely settlement value” (read the original article here ). We tend to agree too.

So instead of panicking over the rise of legal tech, or the “glut”, let’s dig deep into how to future-proof our careers — starting by identifying the potential pitfalls if we insist on inertia.