Prof Ray Friel had a Comment piece in the July Law Society Gazette comparing the revolution in medical education when compared to the cutting edge of tradition in legal education. Friel warned that the degree of complacency in legal education failed to prepare graduates for the coming revolution in the legal world that was coming as a result of technology, particularly information availability and the introduction of Artificial Intelligence in legal problem solving. He warned that law schools could go the way of Nokia phones when faced with the introduction of the smartphone by Apple. Nokia made the best phones in the world, but no one wanted them when they were offered something better by Apple.

Friel made the point that tomorrow’s jurists would need to work in multi-disciplinary teams across jurisdictions if they were to remain relevant. He pointed out the steps taken by the Law School at UL to introduce such change, including the new Appeal Court in the Library and urged legal educators that it was time to get smart.