The Roundtable
Welcome to the Roundtable, a forum for incisive commentary and analysis
on cases and developments in law and the legal system.
on cases and developments in law and the legal system.
 By Natasha Darlington
Natasha Darlington is a fourth year student at the University of Warwick studying Law. The legal procedure for granting patents as well as the exclusive rights placed on the patentee varies depending upon countries’ national laws and agreements. Whilst the frameworks vary, it is sure that the patent system has grown across the world. As stated by the World Intellectual Property Organization, the “number of patent applications has never been higher,”[1] which has been supported by the “development of an ever-increasing range of technology.”[2] As a result of its increased use, it is essential to discuss the emerging negative and positive issues relating to patents, which exercise a fundamental role in a number of fields including the biotechnology and the pharmaceutical industries. The system of patents faces a number of major challenges including the actual operation of the system, issues regarding granting of patent protection to various forms of technology, and the long-term social and economic impact of the patent system. Given the rising issues within protection for intellectual property, it is necessary for lawmakers to strike a balance between promoting progress as well as finding what is best for the citizens of the nation.
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 By Natasha Darlington
Natasha Darlington is a fourth year student at the University of Warwick studying Law. From algorithms to analytics, smart contracts to artificial intelligence, there is no doubt that technology will transform the legal profession in the years to come. Junior lawyers are tasked with reading through contracts in an attempt to find unusuals or key clauses or conducting due diligence reports, but it would seem that the growing use of artificial intelligence has taken the legal world by storm. Today more and more firms are utilizing the digital technology as a way to satisfy growing client expectations. These demands have shown a shift in parts of the “legal profession, often perceived as a technology laggard” [1], which could mean technology is having a profound effect on law firms’ staffing, pricing, and location. Already, many commercial law firms in the United States, United Kingdom, and Singapore are using artificial intelligence platforms to analyze contracts: allowing for cost reduction, less time spent performing low level work, and the opportunity for lawyers to carry out demanding work for clients including complex negotiations in mergers and acquisitions transactions. Having said that, there are some potential drawbacks to using artificial intelligence. Many law firms could realize that they will lose out to rivals if they do not adopt such technology, yet digital platforms may not be appropriate for their individual business models, which signifies some worries amongst legal professionals.  By Natasha Darlington
Natasha Darlington is a fourth year at the University of Warwick studying Law. On September 22,, 2017, Uber, the most valuable startup in the world, lost its license to operate in London. This move stimulated much controversy and debate amongst trade unions and government ministers as well as customers and proponents of the company. In the shock ruling, Transport for London stated that it was revoking Uber’s license because it is “not fit and proper to hold a private hire operator license.” [1] They argued that the company does not meet the necessary public safety and security implications in the way that it approaches reporting serious criminal offences or in the way it handles medical certificates. In 2017, Uber’s net revenue rose 17% to $1.75 billion, showing continued demand for the ride company. Nevertheless, after a series of recent scandals related to alleged sexism in the workplace on top of claims that Uber does not provide drivers basic workers’ rights, these setbacks will undoubtedly hurt the company and enhance competition with competitors Lyft Inc. and Didi Chuxing.  By Natasha Darlington
Natasha Darlington is a third year at the University of Warwick studying Law. It’s an issue that many countries are facing, but in France, overcrowding in prisons is at an all time high. On March 1, it was recorded that 69,430 people were incarcerated, and that the prisons were working at a capacity of 113%. Since, a penal law named ‘Taubira’ was signed in 2014. As a result of this law, it has been said that 3000 more people have been incarcerated, only exacerbating the issue. This has lead to increasing tensions within the prisons as well as calls for penal reforms to try and settle the problem, an incentive particularly important during the 2017 French presidential cycle.  By Natasha Darlington
Natasha Darlington is a third year at the University of Warwick studying Law. Since its permanent formation in 2002, the International Criminal Court (ICC) has invested its time in finding those who have violated international law; thus, collecting evidence against them in order to ensure a fair and just trial under independent inspectors. Through the ICC, other ad hoc courts were created to deal specifically with particular conflicts. For example: in 1991, the Independent International Criminal tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) was created as an ad hoc court, meant to investigate grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions, violations of the law, genocide and crimes against humanity. Federal Judge rejects Ohio’s Lethal Injection Procedure: An Ongoing Constitutional Question3/13/2017  By Natasha Darlington
Natasha Darlington is a third year at the University of Warwick studying Law. Executions due to take place in the coming months have been delayed in Ohio when on January 26, 2017, a federal judge ruled that the state’s new lethal injection process was unconstitutional. The ruling by Magistrate Judge Michael Merz was in regards to a three-drug method, which the state planned to use on February 15 on Ronald Phillips. |
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