“Humanization and the Law” combines two current and complementary trends in the business-to-business (B2B) market of the legal industry: digitalization and humanization. On the one hand, digital transformation in corporate legal departments and law firms continues to advance. Contract management, e-discovery, due diligence, legal operations, and forensic data analysis are just a few examples of task areas where the use of intelligent software solutions minimizes legal risks and increases compliance, enables efficiency gains and cost reductions through automation, and allows faster and more agile responses to changing market demands and client expectations. On the other hand, the increasing number of failed digitalization projects shows that technology alone is not enough to successfully transform legal departments and law firms. Software solutions must be integrated into existing work processes, be easy to use, and provide real benefits in order to be accepted by employees. People and their ability to make decisions and lead others remain the focus in an increasingly digitalized legal industry. More than 20 authors provide insights into why human aspects matter for business, what organizations can do to increase the mental well-being and motivation of their employees, and how to prevail in the upcoming war for talent in the legal industry. “The legal industry has been largely dismissive of “soft skills” and “humanizing law.” One of the paradoxes of our time is that the ascendency of automation, artificial intelligence, blockchain, Big Data, and other technological platforms has elevated, not diminished, the importance of humanity. It is not only what distinguishes us from machines but it also enables us to apply our humanity to machines. The legal function will play an important role in this process but must first take a hard look at itself.” (Mark A. Cohen, in “Foreword”)

"Humanization and the Law" combines two current and complementary trends in the business-to-business (B2B) market of the legal industry: digitalization and humanization. On the one hand, digital transformation in corporate legal departments and law firms continues to advance. Contract management, e-discovery, due diligence, legal operations, and forensic data analysis are just a few examples of task areas where the use of intelligent software solutions minimizes legal risks and increases compliance, enables efficiency gains and cost reductions through automation, and allows faster and more agile responses to changing market demands and client expectations. On the other hand, the increasing number of failed digitalization projects shows that technology alone is not enough to successfully transform legal departments and law firms. Software solutions must be integrated into existing work processes, be easy to use, and provide real benefits in order to be accepted by employees. People and their ability to make decisions and lead others remain the focus in an increasingly digitalized legal industry. More than 20 authors provide insights into why human aspects matter for business, what organizations can do to increase the mental well-being and motivation of their employees, and how to prevail in the upcoming war for talent in the legal industry. "The legal industry has been largely dismissive of "soft skills" and "humanizing law." One of the paradoxes of our time is that the ascendency of automation, artificial intelligence, blockchain, Big Data, and other technological platforms has elevated, not diminished, the importance of humanity. It is not only what distinguishes us from machines but it also enables us to apply our humanity to machines. The legal function will play an important role in this process but must first take a hard look at itself." (Mark A. Cohen, in "Foreword") .

Legal design has been with us for over a decade. Its core idea, i.e. to use design methods to make the world of law accessible to all, has been widely embraced by academics, researchers, and professionals. Over time, the field has grown, expanding its initial problem-solving approach to other dimensions of design, such as speculative design, design fiction, proactive law, and disciplines like cognitive science and philosophy. The book presents a state-of-the-art reflection on legal design evolution and applications. It features twelve insightful contributions discussed during the 2023 'Legal Design Roundtable' on 'Design(s) for Law', organised within the Erasmus+ Jean Monnet clinic on 'EU Digital Rights, Law, and Design'. These perspectives from academics and professionals add important nuances to the literature, either presenting new approaches, applying consolidated practices to new contexts and areas, or showcasing actual and potential applications. Ideal for academics, legal professionals, and students, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in new critical approaches to the law and in the creative construction of fairer and more human-friendly legal systems.

Research can face artificial intelligence (AI) as an issue of technology development but also as an issue of enacted technology at work. Human-centered design of AI gives emphasis to the expertise and needs of human beings as a starting point of technology development or as an outcome of AI-based work settings. This is an important goal, as expressed, for example, by the international labor organization's call for a "human-centered agenda" for the future of AI and automation collaboration. This Research Topic raises the question of what human-centricity means, i.e. what are the criteria and indicators of human-centered AI and how can they be considered and implemented?

Human Trafficking: Global History and Perspectives argues that, far from being a recent development, human trafficking is rooted in the history of the human condition and has only been amplified by globalization. Using a multidisciplinary approach that traces the historical roots of human trafficking in global history, the chapters explore case studies from different parts of the world to show that human trafficking is not only a global phenomenon but a localized enigma. The contributors contend that the causes, and thus, the solutions, are rooted in local and regional social, cultural, political, and economic conditions of victims. The case studies include global, regional, and local examples to analyze the complex causes and effects of human trafficking as well as the legal ramifications.

This book compels the legal profession to question its current identity and to aspire to become a strategic partner for corporate executives, clients and stakeholders, transforming legal into a function that creates incremental value. It provides a uniquely broad range of forward-looking perspectives from several different key-players in the legal industry: in-house legal, law firms, LPO’s, legal tech, HR, associations and academia. This publication is a platform for leading legal professionals that offers a new perspective on the accelerating transformation in legal. Combining expert contributions with editorial insights, it argues that the new legal function will shift from a paradigm of security to one of opportunity; that future corporate lawyers will no longer primarily be negotiators, litigators and administrators, but that instead they will be coaches, arbiters and intrapreneurs; that legal knowledge and data-based services will become a commodity; and that analytics and measurement will be key drivers of the future of the profession. A must-read for all legal professionals, this book sets the course for revitalizing the profession.