By Ben Musanje
Uganda’s legal profession must urgently embrace artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies if lawyers are to remain relevant in an increasingly digital world, the Uganda Law Society (ULS) has said.
Anthony Asiimwe, Vice President of the Uganda Law Society, said the rapid transformation of technology is already changing legal practice, the justice system and the way lawyers deliver services to the public.
Speaking on Thursday during the launch of the second edition of the ULS TechFest at the society’s building in Kampala, Asiimwe said lawyers could no longer afford to remain attached to traditional methods of practice as courts and other institutions move towards digital systems.
He said the judiciary’s transition to paperless courts was an indication of the direction the legal profession was taking, although he acknowledged that both lawyers and members of the public were still facing challenges adapting to the new systems.
“We are moving in a different direction,” Asiimwe said, noting that lawyers must keep pace with rapidly changing technological trends.
He said the profession had an obligation to adopt technology not merely for convenience but to improve access to justice, uphold the rule of law and ensure that legal services remain available and relevant to the public.
“What shall we be for if we can no longer offer services to the public simply because we are not able to match the technology or to match the trend?” he asked.
The second edition of the TechFest is being held under the theme “Accelerating Technology for Justice,” with a focus on artificial intelligence, innovation, ethics and inclusion.
Advocate Tony Kiire Galandi, Chairperson of the TechFest Organizing Committee, said the festival was designed to help lawyers understand emerging technologies and the new legal questions they are creating.
He cited issues involving artificial intelligence-generated content, digital financial transactions, cryptocurrencies and virtual assets as examples of challenges that traditional legal training alone may not adequately prepare lawyers to handle.
Galandi said a lawyer who is only competent in traditional areas such as identifying signatures may struggle to deal with modern disputes involving digital transactions and electronic evidence.
He pointed to cases where bank customers dispute transactions made through mobile applications, saying lawyers must understand the technology behind such transactions to effectively represent their clients.
He also highlighted the growing importance of virtual assets and cryptocurrencies, particularly for lawyers dealing with financial crime and money laundering.
According to Galandi, these developments demonstrate why lawyers need to understand technology rather than treat it as an area reserved for IT specialists.
The festival will also seek to take technology training beyond Kampala through regional mini-TechFests in Gulu, Mbarara and Mbale.
Galandi said the regional events were introduced partly in response to concerns from lawyers outside Kampala who found the cost of travelling to the capital for conferences prohibitive.
The organisers said the regional programmes would provide lawyers with opportunities to practically interact with technology tools and innovators closer to their regions.
Students and young innovators will also be allowed to exhibit their technologies for free, according to Galandi.
He said the organisers wanted the festival to move away from conferences dominated by speeches and create more opportunities for practical demonstrations.
“We are having less speeches, and we are having more practicals,” he said.
Advocate Joel Basoga, Chairperson of the Content Committee, said artificial intelligence is developing at a pace that makes it increasingly difficult for professionals, including lawyers, to ignore it.
Basoga said large language models have evolved significantly since the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022, with more than 200 such models now being developed globally.
He said the rapid development means lawyers must begin thinking about how AI can enhance their work while also understanding its limitations and ethical implications.
One of the central questions at the TechFest, he said, will be how lawyers can use AI effectively without compromising professional duties, including diligence and ethical obligations.
Basoga said the festival will address issues including digital rights, AI policy and strategy, cybersecurity, data privacy and the impact of technology on the rule of law.
He said Uganda’s lack of a unified AI policy makes conversations around regulation and responsible use of the technology particularly important.
The programme will also focus on practical applications of technology, with demonstrations expected throughout the festival.
Basoga said for every two hours spent at the TechFest, participants would have an opportunity to watch demonstrations by innovators working on technology solutions.
He said the aim was to ensure lawyers leave the festival not only informed about technological developments but also capable of using relevant tools in their professional work.
The organisers have also invited major technology and legal technology companies, including Meta, Microsoft, Google and LexisNexis, among others, to participate.
Asiimwe said the ULS had already taken steps towards digital transformation, including partnerships and training that have enabled some lawyers to undertake courses in artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies.
He said feedback from members indicated that the training was already benefiting lawyers in their practice.
The ULS leadership said the TechFest should therefore be viewed as part of a deliberate effort to prepare the legal profession for the future rather than simply another annual event.
Basoga said technology should not be viewed solely as a threat to lawyers but as an opportunity to improve efficiency and competence.
He cautioned, however, that lawyers must retain their professional responsibility to verify information generated by AI and exercise independent judgment.
The festival is expected to combine professional learning with networking and interaction with technology innovators, with the organizers seeking to create an environment in which lawyers can explore emerging tools while discussing their legal, ethical and social implications.
The launch marks the second edition of the ULS TechFest, following the rebranding of the traditional annual law conference into a technology-focused festival as part of the profession’s digital transformation agenda.
