Can A Lawyer Work Digitally? | Is The Digital Lawyer Have The Future?

Digital Lawyer

The digitization process in the legal sector has been going on for some time. The measures surrounding COVID-19 have accelerated. Training courses are now given digitally, refresher courses can be followed online, procedural documents are emailed to the court, and consultations with clients can be via a video connection.

Could a digital lawyer work as a true digital nomad globally while having a law firm in the United States on paper? And if a lawyer could work completely digitally, what would be the consequences? We figured it out today in this article.

Can A Digital Lawyer Save Time, Money, And Energy?

The digitization of society creates opportunities for Digital lawyers to change the traditional way of working at a law firm. For example, in the United States, there is an Online Law Firm. This initiative offers fully digital legal services and collaborates with experienced lawyers who optimize digital innovations and resources. This saves money, time, and energy. The office is always open, and the lawyers can be reached via WhatsApp.

Is The Client Waiting For a Digital Lawyer?

The digital law firm, is that what the litigant is waiting for? Perhaps, the high costs of a traditional law firm can deter the litigants. A Lawyer expects that there will be hardly any calls with clients in five years and that discussions will be conducted online. The intake interview can disappear: the client fills in the data, possibly after an online consultation via chat or an online face-to-face conversation.

The advantage of this is that the process is faster and costs less. If the intake interview is canceled, the client is mainly concerned with the lawyer's service, accessibility, and pricing. Clients look for lawyers who can solve their problems at short notice for a competitive and transparent fee. The work of a lawyer thus seems to grow towards adding value in a place where the client needs it.

Can a Digital Lawyer Work Anywhere In The World?

If you set up the work process completely digitally, can you work anywhere? The intake discussion no longer needs to occur if the client fills in the data himself, follow-up discussions occur via telephone or video, and procedural documents are exchanged digitally. The refresher training can be followed online. The digital mailroom can process any mail. Only some procedures require oral proceedings in court.

A lawyer's work is changing because legal thinking is partly shifting to determining the strategy, reaching the target group online, and using legal tech properly. While a few years ago, you would search for information in the library. You can now find professional information much faster online, thanks to the possibilities offered by a legal search engine such as Legal Intelligence. You search the legal sources online; you no longer have to go to the office, which is essential for working completely online.

Because a lot of (legal) work can be done online, the way of working is changing. This could mean that more and more online law firms will be added in the short term. The question is whether an online law firm is suitable for every case. Think of more complex matters such as international takeovers on which an entire team of lawyers works. In that case, you as a team probably want to meet regularly at one physical location.

Is The Digital Lawyer Have The Future?

Suppose you work as a lawyer at a firm working on optimizing work processes. You will only be deployed for the work that requires your substantive knowledge. A ticketing system gives you direct insight into the digital file. If you have any questions, you can email the client, and the answers to substantive questions can be found via a legal search engine. And when you have completed the work, press send. To what extent do you have contact with the client?

Do you want to go so far that you no longer have personal contact with the client, and wouldn't the lawyer's work turn into almost assembly line work that requires high-quality knowledge but no different soft skills? And is it possible to build a relationship of trust online? 

If we look at a situation in which the relationship of faith is the starting point, such as psychotherapy, an online treatment does not influence the result. But suppose a client is suspected of murder. Would you like the meetings to occur via an online connection, or would you rather meet at a (secret) location? What do you think about the digital lawyer, now and in the future?

Dropshipping: What Should Dropshipper And Customer Pay Attention To?

Dropshipping: What Should The Dropshipper Legally Pay Attention To, And What Rights Does The Customer Have?

Dropshipping has grown in popularity in recent years. It is an attractive way for a novice entrepreneur to earn money quickly. On the other hand, the customer can benefit from low prices. However, things often go wrong with this way of doing business, and the dropshipper has to adhere to too many legal consumer rules. What are these rules, and what is the customer entitled to if something goes wrong?

What Is Dropshipping?

Dropshipping is when a seller (often a webshop) has the products shipped directly from the supplier to the customer. The dropshipper thus acts merely as an intermediary. This party does not have to keep stock and can save much money.

Often the dropshipper buys products for a very low price from a wholesaler from abroad (often China), after which the product is sold to the customer at a much higher price. In this way, the dropshipper can quickly earn money without too many actions and staff. For this reason, it attracts many people to start a business. However, as you will read further here, some risks are involved.

The Dropshipper Is Liable And Responsible For The Product

Although the dropshipper is only an intermediary and does not see the product being shipped to the customer, this party is legally responsible and liable. For dropshipping, the same rules apply to parties that sell products from their stock. This entails many obligations.

Therefore, the dropshipper is responsible for a good delivery of the product, and this is exactly where this way of selling often goes wrong. The supplier delivers, and the dropshipper does not influence this. This can lead to complications, especially if the supplier is a party in a distant country. 

A lot can happen that delays the delivery; the dropshipper does not influence this. This is why it is very important to make clear agreements about the delivery in advance with the supplier. For example, agree with which carrier the product will be sent, the delivery time, and what should be done if the product is damaged on route. Do not forget to state the delivery times to the consumer clearly.

Do you want to go dropshipping, and do you need help with the contractual agreements with a potential supplier? A lawyer can help you with this. He knows exactly which aspects must be recorded in the agreement.

Dropshipping and Infringement of Intellectual Property Rights

Another thing the dropshipper should pay close attention to is that no intellectual property rights are violated. Again, the dropshipper is responsible for the product that ends up with the customer. That is why absolutely no counterfeit products may be sold. Anyone who does so infringes, for example, the trademark or design right. A trademark owner can then hold the dropshipper liable, leading to hefty compensation.

The dropshipper can never be completely sure that the supplier is not sending counterfeit products. For this reason, it is essential to contractually establish a guarantee with the supplier that no products will be shipped that infringes another's intellectual property right. It is also wise to record the consequences if the supplier does not comply with this guarantee (for example, a fine). 

In addition, it must also be agreed that the dropshipper will not infringe any intellectual property rights of the supplier if the former wants to place photos of the products on their site, for example.

Would you like to know more about which intellectual property rights you should consider when dropshipping? Or do you have a legal dispute because you sold counterfeit products? Then you would do well to be linked to a lawyer who specializes in intellectual property law.

The Customer's Right Of Withdrawal

In principle, the customer has nothing to do with the fact that they have bought a product that has been delivered via dropshipping. Therefore, This has the same consumer rights as a 'normal' direct from a manufacturer or producer. In particular, the right of withdrawal is an important part of this. 

The right of withdrawal means that the customer has 14 days after receipt to change his mind and return the purchase. Therefore, the webshop must refund the amount within 14 days after the withdrawal, whatever the reason for the return. There is an exception to the right of withdrawal for certain products. Think, for example, of custom-made products or items that cannot be returned for hygienic reasons.

Example

Alina bought a speaker through a drop shipping web store. A week after receiving it, she changed her mind; because she saw a better one in an electronics store that she preferred. The web store informs her that they do not accept returns because their supplier does not do this either. Alina does not have to accept this. As a consumer, she has a right of withdrawal, also with dropshipping.

It is not difficult to imagine that there are some snags in returning a product after dropshipping. The webshop must then take back products that they have never owned. Even if the (foreign) supplier does not return products, the dropshipper must do so. The risk is that it will get stuck with all kinds of products, while the attractive thing about dropshipping is not having any stock. Therefore, make good agreements with a supplier on this point as well.

Dropshipping And Warranty

Customers who purchase certain goods are entitled to a warranty. If a product does not work (well) or does not meet the description on the site, the consumer can have it repaired or replaced. It follows European regulations that the customer can demand this up to two years after purchase. 

The dropshipper must therefore be well prepared for this. Again, this can be done by making good agreements with the supplier regarding the warranty. But even if the supplier doesn't take back products, the dropshipper still has to do it. The supplier can take the products back and order a new one from the supplier. This makes it wise for the dropshipper to have storage space for the returned products.

How A Lawyer Can Serve The Dropshipper And The Consumer

It should be clear that the dropshipper must be well aware of the legal rules regarding the sale of the products. Many complications can arise in the process, and the consumer has a strong legal position. 

A lawyer can help put together good and complete contracts with suppliers to avoid problems. For example, when it comes to a legal process, a lawyer is indispensable to limit the damage because counterfeit products have been sold.

As a consumer, have you been disadvantaged by an online store that engages in dropshipping? A lawyer can even take further action to get what you are entitled to.

Cryptocurrencies: What Should You Know About Cryptocurrencies?

What Are Cryptocurrencies?

Cryptocurrencies are digital currencies that use cryptography. The first and best-known crypto is bitcoin, and there are now thousands of coins.

Nowadays, everyone has cryptos - from your neighbor to the market around the corner. But what exactly is it? And what can you do with it? Time to dive in!

What Should You Know About Cryptocurrencies?

1. What are cryptocurrencies?

2. What types of cryptocurrencies exist?

3. How do you get cryptocurrencies?

4. What should you pay attention to when you start with cryptocurrencies?

5. What can you do with cryptocurrencies?

6. When to invest in cryptocurrencies?

7. Which cryptocurrencies to buy?

8. Long and short term

9. Risks of cryptocurrencies

10 Are cryptocurrencies safe?

1. What Are Cryptocurrencies?

Cryptocurrencies are digital currencies that use cryptography. Many of these coins have their blockchain.

A blockchain sounds complicated, but the principle is simple. It is a digital ledger where you can find all transactions and balances of users. All information is stored chronologically in blocks. Those blocks are cryptographically linked.

How does that work? Compare a blockchain with a freight train. A block in the blockchain contains a wagon of information. Do you want to change information from an older block? Then you have to disconnect the whole train.

Most cryptos are decentralized to a greater or lesser extent. That means anyone can participate, and no one is in charge. Take bitcoin. Anyone may process, check, receive and send transactions.

That is a big difference from the money you are used to, such as the Dollar $. The American Central Bank prints the money, and commercial banks check and process the transactions. Cryptocurrencies give that power back to the individual.

2. What Types of Cryptocurrencies Exist?

Bitcoin is the first crypto, but coins come in all shapes and sizes. There are now thousands of cryptos, each with its focus and function. However, you can divide most cryptos into categories. So what should you think about it?

Payment Method

Bitcoin started as a decentralized alternative to money such as the euro and the dollar. This crypto is used as a means of payment or to store digital value. Plenty of other cryptocurrencies also focuses on payments, like Ethereum, Litecoin, Ripple, and Dash.

Applications

In addition to payments, cryptocurrencies can also have other functions. The Ethereum team has the ambitious goal of building a world computer on the blockchain. Instead of money, applications should be decentralized. Such a different focus! Cardano and Solana are other examples of cryptocurrencies targeting decentralized applications (dApps).

Scalability

Due to the popularity of cryptocurrencies, it is sometimes busier on the blockchain than at a Snollebollekes concert. Transactions going from left to right put a lot of pressure on the Ethereum blockchain. That is why there are also crypto projects that relieve other cryptos. An example of this is Polygon (formerly Matic).

Another solution is to split a blockchain into multiple side blockchains. This is what Polkadot does. An additional advantage: every side-chain can be adjusted as desired!

Metaverse

The metaverse is a collective term for digital worlds in which you can walk around and talk to others. Crypto can play an important role in this. With cryptocurrencies, you buy and sell digital pieces of land or accessories. Well-known examples of metaverse coins are Decentraland, The Sandbox, and Axie Infinity.

NFTs

If you're interested in cryptocurrencies, you've probably heard of NFTs. These are tokens that represent a unique object. That could be anything - you can think of it as crazy as there is an NFT of it.

Artwork, football pictures, or even houses can be an NFT. With this unique token, you can prove that you are the owner of these objects. This is recorded on a blockchain, for example, that of Ethereum. Popular crypto projects dealing with NFTs include Enjin Coin and Origin Protocol.

Stablecoins

Stablecoins are a bit of an odd one out. These are coins with a value linked to a traditional currency, such as the euro or the dollar.

Traders use stable coins to trade faster, among other things. It's like this: suppose you trade on a cryptocurrencies exchange, and you expect a decline. Then you can sell your cryptocurrencies for stable coins and hold them in the exchange. Has the bottom been reached? Then you use your stable coins again to buy cryptocurrencies.

Well-known examples of stable coins are Tether (USDT) and BUSD. Both are worth the same as the dollar. Do you use the cryptocurrencies app Binance? The USDT/BUSD in your locker is just real dollars. But you can also use those very quickly if you see a beautiful moment!

Decentralized Finance

The demand for crypto is growing, and that requires tailor-made products. Do you want to trade, borrow or lend cryptocurrencies, and do you not trust a third party? Then you can do this decentrally, from person to person. Decentralized Finance DeFi is the collective name for projects that offer this type of service. Popular DeFi coins include Uniswap, SushiSwap, Aave, and Synthetix Network.

3. How Do You Get Cryptocurrencies?

Owning cryptocurrency is simple! Download the handy all-in-one app Binance, and you can get started in three simple steps, within 1 minute and from 1 dollar.

     A. How does it work in short?

     B. Download Binance and open a free account.

     C. Deposit from 10 Dollars to get started trading.

     D. Start trading Cryptocurrencies!

4. What Should You Pay Attention To When You Start With Cryptocurrencies?

You now know the basics, but how do you start with crypto? Below we give you some general tips. We recommend that you understand the basics fundamentals of crypto first.

New to the wonderful world of cryptocurrencies? Start small, for example, with 10 Dollars. You can always build up.

Determine your strategy. A popular strategy is Dollar Cost Averaging (DCA). Periodically invest a fixed amount in cryptocurrencies, for example, 50 dollars per month in bitcoin.

5. What Can You Do With Cryptocurrencies?

The short answer: a lot. Of course, this also differs per cryptocurrency. Below we give you some common use cases of cryptocurrencies.

Pay

You can use cryptocurrencies to pay for products and services. The best-known example of this is home delivery. They have been accepting bitcoin as a payment method for years. And actually, almost every restaurant in the United States is connected. Secretly you can pay indirectly at many restaurants with bitcoin!

Do you want to pay with cryptocurrencies in other places in other countries? Then you have to search well. Fortunately, there are more and more locations where you can go with your crypto coins.

Investing

In addition to paying, you can also trade in cryptocurrencies. You can compare that to the stock market. You try to make as much profit as possible by buying or selling at the right times.

That is how it works with cryptocurrencies. For example, do you see that bitcoin is falling, but ethereum is rising? Then you exchange your bitcoin for usdt/busd and buy ethereum for it. And if the crypto market is in a dip, you can also exchange your cryptos back for usdt/busd.

With the handy crypto Binance, you can trade at lightning speed. With a small disclaimer: the market is young and very volatile. Therefore, only invest what you are willing to lose and always do your research.

Save

With cryptocurrencies, you can achieve nice returns if you trade well. But did you know that you can also save with it? For example, the value of bitcoin continues to rise in the long run. Therefore, more and more investors buy cryptocurrencies to hold them for a long time. That generally yields more than your savings account.

Due to inflation, your dollars are worthless and less every year, even if you may not notice it so quickly. By saving in crypto coins, you can maintain or increase the value of your savings. That is not financial advice, by the way, because you can also lose money with cryptocurrency. Here too, the following applies: read carefully before investing.

6. When To Invest In Cryptocurrencies?

There are thousands of cryptocurrencies, and dozens of coins are added every day. How do you see the forest through the crypto trees? At Binance, you trade in more than 55 popular cryptos. Of course, we do not give you financial advice, but we list many good coins mentioned in this article.

7. When To Buy Cryptocurrencies?

The best moment? That's today. No kidding, determining the right moment is incredibly difficult. Ideally, you want to buy at the bottom and sell at the top. But there's more luck in that than wisdom! However, there are tools that you can use to strike at the right point. 

8. Long or Short Term?

If you invest in cryptocurrency, you must have a strategy. Ask yourself some questions first. Do you want to be busy trading a lot or a little? Do you want quick results, or is your focus more on building wealth in the long term?

Day trading is popular if you have a focus on the short term. Day trading means that you trade actively daily: you buy at a low price and sell at a high point. But the risk, if you trade a lot, is that it is difficult to determine the bottom or the top.

Buy and hold is a great strategy if you have a long-term focus. You don't have to worry about daily price movements. However, the disadvantage is that it can sometimes take longer before getting a nice profit.

9. What Are The Risks Of Cryptocurrencies?

Investing is always a risk. Crypto is no exception. So what do you have to think about?

Volatility

The cryptocurrency price sometimes moves up and down more than a rodeo bull at the fair. This volatility is also known as volatility. Expect 10 or 20 percent movements in a day, both up and down. This is a risk but, at the same time, an opportunity.

Regulation

Cryptocurrency is a new development. Governments sometimes find cryptocurrency difficult to place. Is it a means of payment or an investment? Do you have to charge tax on it, and how?

For example, some countries charge a high tax on profits from crypto trading, like India's Imposed 30% Tax on Proceeds of Digital Assets. Or take China, which has banned bitcoin mining. Such developments in many countries can have a negative effect on cryptocurrencies.

But regulation can also be an opportunity. Will there be clear laws and regulations? Then that gives legitimacy to the crypto sector. That can be a motivation for some investors to invest.

Scams

Where there is money to be made, there are always pirates on the coast. Platforms that promise you sky-high returns may be fake and only after your money. Do you want to invest in bitcoin? Then make sure that you do this with a reliable platform. For example, a reliable World Well Known Biggest Exchange is Binance US. 

10. Are Cryptocurrencies Safe?

In general, most major cryptocurrencies are safe. Coins are secured by blockchain technology. To hack a blockchain, you need more than half of the total computing power of a network.

The bigger a network is, the harder it is to hack. Think of Bitcoin, ethereum, and Binance Coin (BNB) coins. So it is virtually impossible to attack a cryptocurrency network, especially when it comes to large coins.

Know What You Spend

We recommend that you only invest an amount in cryptocurrency that you are willing to lose. Cryptocurrency prices are very volatile. You can make a lot of money, but you can also lose it. At the same time, we believe that crypto is one of the most attractive investments you can make.

If you want to buy cryptocurrencies, do your research. Read news articles, view technical analysis and find out how crypto works. And who knows, you might convince your relatives at the next dinner!