The Uganda Law Society (ULS) has launched the second annual Digital TechFest, a campaign aimed at equipping lawyers and law students with digital skills needed to keep pace with the rapid transformation of the legal profession.
The TechFest, which brings together lawyers, law students, technology innovators and technology companies, is scheduled to take place next week on 17th and 18th at Speke Resort Munyonyo under the ULS digital transformation agenda.
Speaking at the launch, ULS Vice President Anthony Asimwe said technology is rapidly changing the way legal services are delivered, making it necessary for lawyers to become tech-savvy if they are to remain relevant.
“The world is moving and technology is reshaping everything. The legal practice we used to do before without technology was different,” Asiimwe said.
He noted that activities ranging from company registration and court proceedings to commercial transactions are increasingly being conducted through digital platforms.
Asiimwe said criminals and businesses are also increasingly using technology, creating new legal challenges and opportunities that lawyers must understand.
He said the TechFest will help legal practitioners understand technological developments while ensuring that digital transformation does not undermine constitutional and human rights.
The main TechFest will bring together members of the Bar to explore innovations in areas such as electronic case filing, digital legal research and artificial intelligence-powered tools for drafting and judgment writing.
Asiimwe pointed to the Judiciary’s Integrated Case Management Information System (ICMIS), which is facilitating the transition from physical files to online court processes.
He said ULS has also partnered with the Law Development Centre (LDC) to involve law students through regional TechFest events, noting that students are the future of the profession.
“The future of the legal profession is digital. You can no longer practice law if you are not tech-savvy. If you do not understand digital aspects, you can no longer be relevant,” he said.
The Chairperson organizing committee of the second annual TechFest, Tony Kiire Galandi, said the event is intended to bring lawyers, technology innovators and clients together so that they can understand and address the changes technology is creating in the legal sector.
He said this year’s edition will place greater emphasis on practical digital tools used by lawyers, while also promoting the development of locally relevant technologies.
Galandi warned that over-reliance on foreign-developed legal technology tools could create challenges because some artificial intelligence systems are trained on data and legal systems from other jurisdictions.
He gave the example of AI tools trained using legal concepts from countries such as the United Kingdom, which may fail to properly account for African legal and social contexts, including polygamous marriages.
“Therefore, this year’s TechFest is to address some of those issues. We have invited exhibitors from all over the country, but also from abroad,” Galandi said.
Regional TechFest activities are scheduled for Mbarara, Gulu and Mbale, before the main event in Kampala.
ULS also unveiled strategic partners and sponsors supporting the initiative, with the society acknowledging companies that supported the inaugural TechFest, including MTN Uganda, Stanbic Bank and Diamond Trust Bank, among others.
Galandi urged lawyers to register and participate in the festival, saying the initiative is intended to ensure that legal practitioners are prepared for the changing demands of the profession.
“The future is now. If we do not show up, we shall be left behind,” Asimwe said.
