A legal search and consulting firm, ML Munjal University(BMU) School of Law and Vahura announced last week that they are conducting a survey on ‘Decoding the Next-Gen Legal Professional’.
The legalities of India are tremendously changing. This survey will be performed to observe how lawyers view the profession and figure out the new skills required by them. This survey is performed to notify students who are looking for a career in this field about various techniques and skills required as per the changing environment of law. It highlights the skills in the field of law. It serves as an industry reckoner to notify about curriculum choices in the schools of law.

MAJOR CHANGES OBSERVED FROM THE SURVEY

Some of the specific things found from this survey are:

• Digitalization and advanced technologies will be used in the next 10 years. 90 percent of respondents who are in the field of the law said that the adaption of new technology and digitalization would make many changes in the law sector.
•  42 percent of law practitioners said that in the next 3-5 years, technology like AI would replace their day to day 20 percent legal work.
• 81 percent of the respondents said that along with technology, lawyers will be skilled in aiming for the needs of the clients and anticipate them.
• 71 percent of respondents said that practitioners should be skilled in commercial awareness in the next 3-5 years.
•  Law schools have to make students learn about the fundamentals of law subjects and programs with practical applications so that they can focus more on the industry.
• 36 percent of respondents observed that with the importance of international qualifications and education, the practice of law is becoming more global.
  According to the survey, this legal profession is going to a lot of changes. The demands of the clients are changing. The new generation is expecting a different career and technological innovations like AI so that they can stimulate the new transformation of this sector.

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HUMAN’S TASKS WOULD BE PERFORMED BY AI

This survey will help to see the point of view of lawyers and their expectations and changes over the next decade. It will help to see how lawyers are observing the changes in the practice of law in the next decade. The most significant change observed by 90 percent of the respondents is the advancement of the digital sector and technology. The competition among all law firms would increase and some of the respondents said that legal resources would increase. Some of the roles that humans are performing now would be taken over by AI.

SKILLS FOR LAW PRACTITIONERS

The advanced technology rapidly replaces human roles in the legal sector with more standardize work. It will advance others by way of viewing documents more efficiently. 20 percent of daily tasks would be automated. Due to this, lawyers in the present scenario should be updated with the day to day changes and sharpen their skills in critical areas. The qualities and skills of young lawyers should be relevant and in demand. They should research the case and analyze it. Lawyers should possess a detailed statement and that should be accurate. Everyone should work hard, learn, and must have oral and communication skills.

SKILLS THAT ARE IMPORTANT FOR THE LAWYERS

With all the changes and expectations in the legal sector over the next decade, the survey observes all the skills that are important for the lawyers to survive in the competition of the law sector. The top skills include understanding and anticipating the client’s needs, technological knowledge, commercial awareness, and time management.

CHANGES IN LAW SCHOOLS

The survey also observed about the key qualities that lawyers must have to be selected in law firms. Law schools must provide students hands-on experience in drafting, pleadings, and procedures. They should also put an emphasis on developing the fundamentals of law. Students must be skilled in drafting and negotiation. Schools must train students as per the technological environment to make them ready to face the competition over the next decade.

SURVEY RECORDED THE NEED OF MORE LAW SCHOOLS IN INDIA

The survey concentrated on the skills of the lawyers that they should possess and is required among aspiring lawyers. It also emphasized on the demand of schools to meet the market demand of lawyers. 42 percent of respondents said that there are enough law schools in India to meet the demand of students while 30 percent of respondents said that Top law schools are needed for the future as well. Some of the respondents say that law schools in India are not keeping up with the changing environment. Top law schools focus on student’s skills like time management, research skills, people and interpersonal skills, and business communication.

THE SURVEY WAS TOOK PLACE ON APRIL AND MAY

The Chancellor of BML University Sunil Kant Munjal launched the survey and said that law schools play a critical role in nurturing and developing lawyers who are equipped with the skills and attitudes essential for modern legal practice. The CEO of Vahura said that the legal sector will be stuck in a different century. As per the reports, the legal sector is aware of the rapidly changing environment. Practitioners, educators, and stakeholders are aware of the needs of advanced technologies and skills to build. This survey was taken place by BMU in April and May 2020. It was conducted by Vahura and received more than 200 responses from lawyers serving in large, medium, small law firms in metropolitan cities like Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Pune, Hyderabad, and Kolkata.

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