Law Society backs new rules aimed at simplifying online legal processes

Reading time: two minutes

The Law Society of England and Wales has welcomed new Online Procedure Rules designed to make online legal processes easier to use – a change that Law Society President Mark Evans described as “a positive first step for a digital justice system with a focus on inclusion and access to justice”.

These rules are the first set produced by the Online Procedure Rule Committee (OPRC), which is responsible for creating rules for online procedures in the civil, family and tribunals jurisdictions. The Law Society’s response was submitted as part of a consultation on this initial framework, which ran from 4 December 2025 to 15 January 2026.

The draft rules are divided into three parts, covering:

• principles that apply to all online proceedings;
• core rules designed for civil, family and tribunal cases, initially applying only to possession proceedings via the digital possession service; and
• additional rules for specific types of online proceedings.

In response, the Law Society said it supports the focus on improving access to justice by enabling fair and efficient online proceedings, while protecting accessibility and inclusion.

However, Evans stressed: “The simplicity of the rules must not come at the cost of clarity. While simplified rules should help users navigate online proceedings more easily, existing practice in civil, family and tribunal rules may be lost in the process. This may create confusion and uncertainty, particularly for legal professionals who must regularly comply with the rules.

“The OPRC must consider that a general and high-level approach means they may not achieve what they set out to, or leave participants unclear about their obligations. This is a particular concern for those without representation, who are more likely to find proceedings challenging.”

Therefore, Evans has urged the OPRC to create “rules [that] specify who is responsible for the obligations they create”.

The Law Society has encouraged the OPRC to update and improve the rules over time as the online system expands. It also called for continued engagement with the profession as the committee considers extending online procedures to other areas.