The inaugural meeting of the SCL’s new IT Disputes Interest Group was a sell-out. I have no doubt that much of the credit goes to His Honour Peter Bowsher QC, whose presentation was so much anticipated and so enthusiastically received (I hope to print a version in a forthcoming issue). But I am sure that he would acknowledge that the meeting’s success was also partly attributable to the fact that the new Group has recognised, and indeed arises from, a swell of interest in the topic itself.
While IT disputes are likely to be of interest to SCL members for many years to come, there can be little doubt that the hotter topic of the moment is outsourcing. It is scarcely possible to cross the cyberstreet without being tripped up by an outsourcing issue. So perhaps it might be considered surprising that SCL has had no dedicated Outsourcing Group – until now. As I write this, a new Group is in the closing stages of gestation with an anticipated birth date in the summer – its inaugural meeting is set provisionally for June.
The aim of the SCL Outsourcing Interest Group is to provide a forum for the leading practitioners and interested parties in outsourcing within the legal community to meet and exchange ideas and experiences relating to outsourcing projects. The Group will look both to continue discussions and debate issues relating to “black letter law” and exchange practical hints and tips, so as to help promulgate best practice in this rapidly growing area of the law. SCL members are advised to watch the Web site for further details.
With the amazing growth in interest in, and application of, IT law, I doubt that this is the last new group to be formed by SCL in 2004. If you feel that there is a neglected area which would benefit from a dedicated focus then SCL is always open to suggestions. You might even consider making the case in the pages of the magazine and discovering what support you might receive from other SCL members.
