Jonathan Goldsmith
Jonathan Goldsmith is Law Society Council member for EU matters and a former secretary general of the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe. All views expressed are personal and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Law Society Council
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- Opinion
War crimes law: often cited, often ignored
Just over a week ago, the American Bar Association withdrew the two statements that it had previously made in relation to the Israel-Hamas war.
- Opinion
Weaponising international arbitration
We think of ourselves as warriors for the rule of law. It is salutary to hear another view.
- Opinion
AI’s white-knuckle ride? The bars must jump on
Debates around artificial intelligence are moving quickly. We need to evaluate its impact on our sector, so we can shriek above the din to guide policy-makers.
- Opinion
A 3am panic attack for the legal profession
We have learned to live with some of the long-term issues we face. But now there are more.
- Opinion
Bed-bugs, AI and war
International Bar Association's annual conference in Paris reflected the outside world remarkably accurately.
- Opinion
Put lawyers at the heart of the rule of law
If it is correct that lawyers make and apply the law daily and repeatedly, with more widespread impact than any court of law, that needs to be acknowledged.
- Opinion
Should bars issue statements about the Israel-Hamas war?
Lawyers outside the war zone are concerned in this matter in the same way as all citizens. It is not a specifically lawyer matter.
- Opinion
Seven professional challenges in a handy list
IBA document details the most important issues facing the legal profession over the next five years.
- Opinion
Billionaires spawn a different kind of lawyer story
Some stories about lawyers in the orbit of the world’s richest person, Elon Musk.
- Opinion
'Snow White' in the style of Linklaters
When people are able to ask ChatGPT to give legal advice in the style of a particular law firm, we have big problems.
- Opinion
The joy of plural pronouns in legal drafting
Language has changed. We should get over our shudders for the sake of simpler, clearer, fairer writing.
- Opinion
How to approach the CILEX debate
I love reading Twitter (sorry, X) accounts of people with whose political views I heartily disagree.
- Opinion
August has been IT month
The holiday season delivers a cascade of important tech developments affecting lawyers and law firms.
- Opinion
A new blow for our justice system
Government’s record on administration of justice receives another severe rebuke - this time from an unexpected quarter.
- Opinion
Solicitors are instruments of justice
To deal with attacks raining down on us, lawyers need a second strap-line: ‘And if clients’ interests conflict with justice, justice wins’.
- Opinion
Clued up on cross-border trade in legal services
IBA publishes updated version of its 'Guide to International Trade Agreements for IBA Member Bars'.
- Opinion
The normalisation of failure
Where are the substantive proposals to reverse the sinking of our justice system? Small, piecemeal suggestions won’t do it.
- Opinion
Lawyers, wake up – your data is being scraped
Law was not written for an age of mass data scraping from millions of places without consent. US lawsuits will presumably begin to sort out the mess.
- Opinion
Changes in citizens' rights after Brexit
Some of Brexit's legal consequences for British citizens have emerged over recent days.