Overview

This webinar explores the growing risks and complexities of service by email within legal proceedings. As practice shifts from traditional postal service to electronic methods, practitioners face a landscape shaped by evolving procedural rules and significant case law.

The session will examine the critical importance of proper service, particularly given its strict and unforgiving nature, and will clarify the current rules governing electronic service in both non-Digital Claims Process (non-DCP) and Digital Claims Process (DCP) contexts.

Participants will also gain insight into common and emerging procedural traps, illustrated through recent case law and upcoming rule amendments, along with practical strategies for avoiding errors, remedying mistakes, and maintaining professional standards. The webinar concludes with a forward-looking discussion on the future of service in an increasingly digital legal system.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:

• Understand why service of documents is a critical and strictly enforced step in legal proceedings
• Identify the key differences between postal and electronic service, including risks introduced by email
• Explain the current rules governing electronic service of claim forms (non-DCP)
• Distinguish the process for notification of claims within the DCP framework
• Apply the rules for electronic service of other documents during proceedings
• Recognize common and emerging procedural traps, including those highlighted in recent case law
• Anticipate risks arising from recent and forthcoming rule amendments
• Implement practical steps to avoid common pitfalls in service by email
• Take appropriate action to remedy defective service where possible
• Appreciate the professional risks, including negligence implications, associated with improper service
• Evaluate potential future developments in electronic service and their impact on legal practice