Technology and continuing legal education
24 May 2020
Technology has revolutionised access to education, with online learning transforming the way people learn new skills and share knowledge. It’s particularly exciting to see the impact of this in developing countries like South Africa. Many of our top educational institutions are moving into this arena with relevant and top quality content. We are also seeing a growing uptake of e-learning amongst people of all age groups, not just millennials.
However, the traditionally cautious legal sector has been slower to adapt. This poses a challenge for busy (and ambitious) law professionals who are looking for convenient access to continuous professional development (CPD). While leading university law departments offer continuing legal education for lawyers, not much is available entirely online. In most instances, seminars and workshops, as well as short courses, may be supported by online platforms, but physical participation on site is still a requirement.
This has to change. Not only because lawyers need more flexibility in how they continue their education, but also because professional development should not be restricted to cities like Cape Town, Johannesburg and Lusaka. We need affordable skills training available to all practitioners across Africa, regardless of where they are.
After proposing a mandatory professional development programme for attorneys in 2010, the Legal Practise Act, 2014 introduced for the first time (in sections 3, 5 and 6) the idea that continuing legal education is necessary and should be part of the revised framework for the legal profession.
This means mandatory CPD is on its way for lawyers in South Africa; and both law educators and lawyers need to be prepared. Educators can learn from the methodologies already established by our counterparts in countries like Britain and Canada. But even more vital is to take account of local trends in e-learning and blended learning – a combination of online and face to face courses, short courses, online learning modules and interactive forums, seminars and conferences.
Online learning offers the convenience of mobility (if using a device) and the ability to plan your time. Online systems enable users to create accounts, purchase or acquire content when it’s free, and record their time online and modules completed. Where modules have been accredited and allocated CPD points, the points can be recorded in a private facility, accessible at any time as evidence of compliance with the regime that is put in place.
Younger lawyers are likely to take to online learning more easily than older lawyers, but the benefits are the same. Accessing content from multiple sources in one place means a wider world view, insights into alternative approaches to problems, the ability to increase the emotional intelligence that many professionals don’t have time to acquire but really need, and will enable senior management to more easily mentor and coach junior staff through a selection of online tools.
Technology is even changing the way lawyers might work in future. Artificial intelligence already offers basic drafting templates, trial preparation packages and answers to frequently asked questions. It may not be the most appropriate way to deal with legal problems, but it’s already in use. Software developers are creating more tools to benefit lawyers all the time. In the United Kingdom, discovery of documents takes place through a standardised set of software protocols which can eliminate duplication of documents and identify the most recent version of contracts (and previous versions, where there may be a dispute).
At Clearlaw we are aiming at driving this vital transformation with a new technology platform for continuing legal education. Recognising that time is money in this profession, we are introducing accredited and convenient online short courses as well as resources and discussion forums to support collaborative learning. Critically, our focus is on meeting the need for content that is relevant in the African context.
We are also building strategic partnerships with academic institutions, leading law firms, corporate legal departments and public sector stakeholders to ensure best practice in all aspects of legal education. Our vision is to extend access to the highest standards of professionalism and knowledge to law practitioners across the continent.
The potential impact of such a resource on socio-economic advancement for all nations is incredibly inspiring. But we can’t do it without embracing 21st Century technology.
See also:
- Decolonisation and Africanisation of Legal Education in South Africa
- BigLaw will be wise to heed to the caveat of NewLaw
- How libraries can streamline student access
- New law paves the way for a new legal profession
