IBA Annual Conference Copenhagen 2026

4 Oct - 9 Oct 2026

Session information

Beyond boundaries: the modern junior lawyers’ essential skills toolkit

Wednesday 7 October (1115 - 1230)

Committee(s)

Academic and Professional Development Committee (Lead)

Description

Law firms and in-house departments are rethinking the structure of their legal teams. With the rapid integration of AI tools, process automation and legal technology, many routine and repetitive tasks traditionally assigned to junior lawyers are being replaced by technology or delegated to alternative service providers. This has led to a declining demand for traditional junior roles and a growing need for professionals capable of combining legal reasoning with technological fluency, data literacy, project management and interdisciplinary collaboration. This panel will explore how, in rapidly changing legal environments, lawyers must combine legal expertise with business, policy and technical acumen to drive innovation and value creation. It will highlight emerging professional paths, new firm structures and education/training needed to support this transformation.