The message at the Legal Tech 2001 conference in New York (30 January-1 February) was reminiscent of patriot Paul Revere1s midnight ride during the American War of Independence. Much of the buzz at the world1s biggest bunfight for legal IT could be summed up in Revere1s frantic warning to General Washington1s allies: “The British are coming!”.

Or rather, the British have arrived was the message from UK IT commentator Professor Richard Susskind in his opening keynote speech.