In recent months this monthly email has had the interests of junior lawyers and the SCL very much in focus, and that continues to be a major focus of SCL activity. But one of the key characteristics of IT lawyers generally is a voracious appetite for knowledge and, in particular, a very thirsty appetite to get to grips with understanding the legal issues around new developments in technology. This is by no means confined to the more junior members. This appetite to understanding and analyse new situations is one of the things that I like best about working with those practising IT law. I am not sure if this characteristic is somehow connected to early exposure to technology but many senior IT lawyers faced with a new area for understanding are more likely to excited by the challenges rather than concerned that their skillsets may be overtaken by the new developments.
Of course the environment for new learning has to be right and the new knowledge has to be presented in easily digestible, and tasty, form. And a special criterion applies in the case of senior lawyers: time is short for all IT lawyers but it is even more of a premium for the more senior.
We are therefore looking for ideas from senior IT lawyers for new ways in which they would like to interact with the SCL. For example, is there an interest in short SCL breakfast briefings on new and emerging areas of IT law? Are there new developments that you feel ought to be discussed by the SCL? Perhaps there are areas where you feel you have broadly grasped the concept but would like to know the detail? At the very least all good suggestions will be rewarded with a virtual croissant.
Perhaps short evening briefing meetings would be easier to attend: particularly for people who aren’t based in London. It would be interesting to know what works best for SCL members
Of course you may find that we already have the dish that you want on our forthcoming menu of events during the remainder of the spring period. With the {SCL IT Disputes Masterclass: Dispute Resolution Clauses in IT and Outsourcing Contracts: https://www.scl.org/site.aspx?i=ev41031} coming up on 20 May and a veritable smorgasbord of new insights into emerging areas available at the {SCL Technology Law Futures Conference 2015: https://www.scl.org/site.aspx?i=ev41255} on 18 & 19 June plus the evening keynote: {“The Great AI Swindle”: https://www.scl.org/site.aspx?i=ev42062}, it is as well that knowledge is not fattening.
As always it’s an interesting time to be an IT lawyer: the forthcoming EU Commission announcement on 6th May on the Digital Single Market will also be raising a range of new issues for us to consider. Watch this space – the SCL will be taking an active role to review and analyse the Commission’s proposals.
