The Paisley pattern: IT and legal practice in Scotland

Abstract

A number of influential authors such as Susskind and Katsh have highlighted the extent to which information technology (IT) has significantly altered, and will continue to affect, the provision of legal services at a fundamental level. While a number of studies have been carried out on the extent and use to which solicitors make use of IT in their legal practice in England and Wales, little research has been done with Scottish law firms. At a time when Scots lawyers are under increasing pressure to consider IT solutions in legal practice, it is important to know how they are presently using IT in their day-to-day legal practice. The research described in this article had two main aims, therefore. First, we set out to identify the IT actually in use by solicitors in their day-to-day practice. Second, we wanted to discover how IT is currently changing the role and function of legal practice within our chosen jurisdiction. The different data collection methods we used provided a multi-dimensional case study, the outcomes of which have implications for the education of law students (at both undergraduate and vocational level), as well as the continuing professional development of solicitors.