Research
Future focused research under CFLP will provide evidenced-based insights and tailored solutions to industry identified challenges and opportunities. This will continually update and improve the legal professional development curriculum. Our focus will be on how legal education and training can adapt to produce graduates and practitioners with the broad strategic, entrepreneurial and ethical skills needed to succeed in the legal roles of the future.
Main areas of research:
- Leadership and Professional Skills.
- Culture, Diversity, and Wellbeing.
- Ethics and Regulation.
- AI and LegalTech.
- Access to Justice.
Publications
Recent reports and articles by members and collaborators of the Centre for the Future of the Legal Profession
GenAI, Fake Law & Fallout
A review of the misuse of generative artificial intelligence in legal proceedings
Published November 2025.
More people are using AI in court, not a lawyer
It could cost you money – and your case
Published September 2025. Authored by Professor Michael Legg
Becoming, Doing, Being: GenAI and the Promise of Professional Identity in Law
Open Access Journal ISSN 2652-4074
Published October 2025. Authored by Dr. Felicity Bell and Justine Rogers
The Promise and the Peril of the Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence in Litigation
UNSW Law Research No. 25-23, Available at SSRN
Authored by Professor Michael Legg, Vicki McNamara and Armin Alimardani, ‘The Promise and the Peril of the Use of Artificial Intelligence in Litigation’, (2025) 48(4) University of New South Wales Law Journal (forthcoming).
Better than a bot – instilling ethical judgement into the lawyers of the future in the age of AI
Published April 2025. Authored by Professor Michael Legg.
Future-proofing legal talent: How to recruit, develop and retain lawyers
Published March 2025. Authored by Dr. Felicity Bell, Vicki McNamara, Professor Michael Legg.
Submission to the Victorian Law Reform Commission inquiry
‘Artificial Intelligence in Victoria’s Courts and Tribunals’
Published 24 January 2025. Authored by Dr. Felicity Bell, Vicki McNamara, Professor Michael Legg, L Bennett Moses
Generative AI: Uses and abuses in litigation
Gen-AI use in litigation is rapidly increasing, offering potential benefits while also introducing new complications
Published Feb 2025. Authored by Vicki McNamara
Unmet legal needs and deregulation - Court of Conscience
'Addressing Unmet Legal Need - Is It Time to Deregulate Legal Services in Australia?'
UNSW Law Society Court of Conscience 81
Published Nov 2024. Co-authored by Professor Michael Legg and Vicki McNamara
The Ethics of Socio-Legal Research’ in Michael Martin, Bruce Smyth & Mandy Downing (eds)
The Routledge Handbook of Human Research Ethics and Integrity in the Australian Context
Published Oct 2024. Co-authored by Dr. Felicity Bell with Faith Gordon
What makes lawyers stay (and leave) law firms?
Published Sep 2024. Co-authored Professor Michael Legg, Dr. Felicity Bell, Vicki McNamara
Australasian Law Management Journal
Australian Law Journal: “Fake it ‘til you Make it”
'Not with AI and the Courts: Lawyers’ Duties as Protections for the Administration of Justice’
Published September 2024. Authored by Professor Michael Legg
(subscription to Australian Law Journal required to access this article)
Legal Design in a Small Australian Law Firm
'You Don't Often Create Solutions In The Law'
Published Aug 2024. Author Dr. Felicity Bell
Legal Design Journal
Australian Law Journal: Technology and the Law
'Generative AI, Fake Law and Professional Guidance'
Published June 2024. Coauthored by Professor Michael Legg and Vicki McNamara
(subscription to Australian Law Journal required to access this article)
GenAI and Fake Law
‘AI is creating fake legal cases and making its way into real courtrooms, with disastrous results’
Published March 2024. Authored by Professor Michael Legg & Vicki McNamara
AI Decision Making and the Courts
A guide for Judges, Tribunal Members and Court Administrators
Revised and Republished December 2023