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IBA wants African insights on shaping the future of the legal profession
The core objective of the Future of Legal Services Commission, and central pillar of the IBA’s mission, is to be at the forefront of developments in the legal market. It is calling for practitioners and others to complete its third annual survey before 3 August.
The Future of Legal Services Commission of the International Bar Association (IBA) is encouraging lawyers, legal academics, business services professionals, law students, and legal technologists to complete, and share, a short survey before 3 August that explores the most pressing issues facing the legal sector today
The Commission’s Global Heatmap Survey was first presented in 2023, culminating in the launch of a White Paper at the IBA Annual Conference in Paris. A second edition was presented last year, and now a third annual survey is open for responses.
Leading figures like Nankunda Katangaza, co-founder of the African Law & Tech Network and one of the officers of the IBA’s Future of Legal Services Commission, are encouraging practitioners, law students, and others from Africa and globally to have their say, and share insights and perspectives before 3 August.
Last year, less than 7% of Global Heatmap Survey respondents were from Africa.
“Whether you're a lawyer, academic, or student, your insights are vital to shaping the future of the legal profession,” says Katangaza, a director at Hook Tanzaga. “It only takes five minutes to complete, and your input will help drive meaningful change.”
This year’s global survey will help underpin the annual Future of Legal Services Commission report on the most pressing issues facing the legal sector, including:
The rise of AI
Threats to the Rule of Law
The legal response to Climate Change
The Mental Health crisis in law
Geopolitical instability
Ongoing Economic Disruption
The survey asks participants’ views on the principal developments in the legal profession. The anonymous data will help produce a Heatmap that informs how the IBA prioritises its work, and influences and prepares for future developments.
“It is fundamental to a lawyer’s duty to serve the best interests of their client that, as well as providing insight into the current legal environment, they make every endeavour to prepare them for the challenges the future may bring,” said Soledad Atienza and Christopher Howard, the Future of Legal Services Commission Co-Chair and Co-Vice Chair, respectively in the introduction to the 2024 report.
“Predicting future issues and preparing for them adequately is one of the most difficult problems lawyers face: this can only be overcome through collaboration. This mission of providing the best client service through the sharing of knowledge and best practice is at the heart of the IBA’s Future of Legal Services Commission.”
The 2025 survey can be found, and completed, here.