The Today's Family Lawyer Podcast welcomes co-founder and Head of Innovation at Family Law Partners Alan Larkin on to discuss his vision for family law.

Through his career Larkin has championed access to justice, and the evolution of client experience; and the use of technology to support these objectives - work which has recently been recognised with the award of an honorary doctorate by the University of Brighton for his sustained impact on the legal profession

A late bloomer in law, Larkin joined the profession aged 35 having come from the voluntary sector. Frustrated by the lack of technology in family law he set about using it to redesign legal processes to better serve individuals navigating family breakdowns; leading to the design of the first versions of onboarding platform. Nova Engage.

He describes how the traditional first consultation—often dominated by lengthy questioning—can be overwhelming for clients in distress; an issue technology can play its part of solving, although he is at pains to point out technology doesn’t replace lawyers but enhances their ability to connect with clients. Instead technology provides a “soft landing,” reducing stress and improving cognitive engagement during consultations.

The law should still be conducted by lawyers says Larkin, but software can offer contextual guidance and reassurance, enabling the lawyer to focus on the legal work.

Much work remains on access to justice, particularly when it comes to the public's understanding of the law. Larkin notes that most people are unaware of alternatives to court, despite the existence of multiple dispute resolution models. He advocates for using technology to scale public awareness and promote collaborative, non-adversarial approaches.

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