Rhys Dipshan: On the first day of the Legalweek 2020, the message was clear: Attorneys are becoming more discerning tech consumers. They’re moving beyond the hype, and considering the reality of how novel technology will—and won’t—live up to its potential. Take for example, blockchain-powered smart contracts, which many have said would be completely self-executing without the need for legal intermediaries.

But today, attorneys were convinced such a reality could not come to pass: Potential technical issues could plague such contracts, and legal complexities would render them a poor choice of arbitration or dispute.