Profile: Chris Barnes

Tell us about your career so far?

I trained with Levy & McRae between 2018 and 2020 and went on to become a junior associate at Clyde & Co. Now I am back at Levy & McRae working in the litigation team. 

How did you become involved with the Society? 

I wanted to apply what I learned from studying and working in software development as a solicitor. However, I did not know how best to do that. Then in November 2018 when I was a first-year trainee solicitor I attended the LawscotTech event held in Glasgow. I learned about LawscotTech’s work and spoke with some of the current board members. After that, I applied to and joined the advisory board in 2019. I am very grateful to the Society for the opportunity to apply my skills and represent my viewpoint as a junior member of our profession at board level. 

What aspects of the LawscotTech Advisory Board work and programme have you found most interesting?

The board members are the most interesting part of the LawscotTech Advisory Board. The programme brings together people from legal and technological backgrounds in an innovative way to support the adoption of new technologies. 

Have you seen any impact of technological developments in your own firm? 

Our civil practice has, like all other firms, progressed down the electronic route. Virtual courts and online services are now core components of our practice. 

What are the biggest challenges for tech development in the legal sector? 

The greatest challenge could be compliance with current regulatory and legal standards. While things like artificial intelligence sound futuristic, at the end of the day our industry is built on people. Our current regulatory and legal standards are appraised at the level of competence to be expected of humans. Solicitors are expected to exercise their own independent skill and judgment in advising clients. The introduction of new technologies is going to present new opportunities, but it will need to do so in a way that complies with our obligations towards clients, the courts and each other. 

What keeps you busy outside of work?

Outside of spending time with friends and family, usually I split my time between the gym and watching Arsenal. I still code from time to time. 

Find out more about the Lawscot Tech initiative