Building a Bold, Human-Centred Legal Future: a report on Legal Innovation & Tech Fest Africa 2025

This year’s Legal Innovation & Tech Fest Africa in Johannesburg felt less like a conference and more like a reunion of innovators, a dynamic space where transformative ideas on legal technology, AI, and human-centred lawyering were shared freely, sparking collaboration and hope for the future.

The annual event has certainly come a long way since its inception in 2018. Over the two days, delegates dove into deep discussions on AI adoption, digital transformation, and even the emerging art of prompt engineering for lawyers. 

Every session offered something valuable, from practical know-how to big-picture vision. “Renovate Your Legal Life,” an uplifting talk by Verity White, taught professionals how to turn chaos into clarity while using “data sets to change mindsets”, underscoring that frequent communication of progress isn’t pestering; it’s reinforcement. 

In one energising panel on “AI in Practice: Transforming Legal Work,” experts from law firms and tech companies explored how legal teams are using AI in day-to-day work. The discussion became so engaging that one panelist confessed she “ended up having so much fun… not wanting to end the discussion”, a sentiment that reflected the crowd’s enthusiasm as much as the speakers.

The content at this year’s Legal Innovation & Tech Fest Africa was equal parts inspiring and challenging. Keynote speaker Bjarne Philip Tellmann, CEO of FjordStream Advisors, issued a wake-up call to in-house legal teams by asking: “What is your license to exist?… If consultants could outsource your whole legal department and save 60% of costs, why should your CEO say no?”

His pointed questions hit home for many, driving the message that legal departments must clearly demonstrate their value in an age of automation and outsourcing. 

Tommaso Ricci’s session, “Beyond the Hype: A Lawyer’s Guide to Choosing AI Tools That Actually Work,” provided a pragmatic deep-dive into vetting new legal tech, a reality-check on how complex and careful the decision to adopt AI can be. 

Beyond the formal agenda of keynotes, panels and case studies, the Fest’s real magic was in the human connections forged. Delegates relished the networking breaks as much as the content. The halls echoed with laughter, camaraderie and the excitement of old friends reunited and new partnerships formed. 

Organisers echoed this sentiment. “Beyond the keynotes, panels, and case studies, it was the meaningful conversations, shared laughs, and new connections that made this year’s event truly special” reflected Andrea Erasmus, Production Director at Eventful People (the company behind the Fest). She noted that the openness to share ideas across law firms, corporates and tech providers is what makes this gathering “unlike any other” in Africa’s legal landscape. 

Another highlight of this year’s Legal Innovation & Tech Fest Africa was the launch of the South African chapter of She Breaks the Law, a global network for women in legal innovation. The chapter’s inaugural gathering, a breakout session titled “The Skills AI Can’t Steal (But We Can Master!)”, captured the community’s resilience, creativity and shared passion for the future of law. 

By the end of this year’s conference, the prevailing feeling was one of gratitude and forward momentum. Many attendees (myself included) left feeling energised by the insights from visionary leaders and peers, and encouraged by the sense of solidarity in driving change. The experience reaffirmed that the legal profession’s evolution is as much about people and courage as it is about technology. 

Legal Innovation & Tech Fest Africa proved to be a celebration of a bold, collaborative community that is actively reimagining how legal value is delivered, and an inspiration to all of us to continue pushing legal innovation forward, together. 

Lucia Quy is the Delivery Lead and operational head of Webber Wentzel's Fusion team, the leading South African firm's NewLaw arm. She is a qualified attorney, seasoned legal project manager, and legal technologist with more than 15 years of practical experience across general commercial law, litigation, and ADR.