Reading time: three minutes

I was once asked what I thought the future of the legal world would look like in terms of the metaverse. I had limited knowledge of what the metaverse was, never mind what the legal sector would look like in it – I panicked! But for me, developing my career is about learning and taking these scary situations as learning opportunities. So, I went away and researched the metaverse, by asking questions to tutors and reading newspaper articles. So, I thought I’d impart a little of the knowledge I gained in case you get asked the same question. 

First things first: what’s the metaverse?

Simply put, it’s the internet. It’s a virtual way of interacting with others and experiencing real-life situations on a screen and has been described as a three-dimensional model of the internet. So, you have an avatar that travels around this virtual world and you interact with other avatars, whether that be in an office environment or socially. Within this virtual world, there are digital assets that can be created and sold. A digital asset is anything that a company can use to realise value, including documents and websites, for example. Transactions take place using digital assets and the virtual commercial world develops. 

Defining the metaverse itself is tricky, as it doesn’t technically exist yet, so trying to illustrate how it’ll look is distinctly hypothetical. But, with lots of different visions floating around, these seem to be the core elements that come up the most. 

How does this work in the legal environment?

Firstly, it means that clients can be situated anywhere in the world. Where geographical restraints would normally mean that a client might not reach out to your firm, the metaverse may open new opportunities for them. This will mean fiercer competition between law firms and increased pressure to have a unique selling point to draw clients in.

Secondly, it may mean that trials can take place online in a three-dimensional environment, seeming less impersonal than over a two-dimensional zoom call. This advances the technology commonly used to make the client more at ease while restricting travelling. 

Thirdly, three-dimensional modelling within the metaverse will mean that problem-solving between lawyers and clients could be made easier. Whether this is in the construction industry where a model building can be created and then walked around to spot the issues that may arise out of it, or in the intellectual property world where ideas can be brought to life for the solicitor much more easily. 

There are many more ways to look at how the metaverse will impact solicitors in their day-to-day work. But these are some starting points. It’s interesting and important to think about what the world might look like in a metaverse. While some think it’s scary and brings legal problems with it, others think it’s a massive opportunity and that it’ll revolutionise the industry. Wherever you lie on this scale, think about the advantages and disadvantages of it and try to talk about it in an interview if it interests you. 

Still curious about the metaverse? Check out this Commercial Question by DWF Group Plc or this Feature on the trending commercial issues to watch out for in 2023.