The Accra Lawtech Hangout 2025, hosted by Legaltech Lounge, cemented its place as a key convener in Africa’s legal tech space, with Artificial Intelligence (AI) dominating discussions on the future of law across the continent.
The event, themed “AI in Legal: The Next Decade in Africa,” gathered over 200 legal professionals, innovators, and tech entrepreneurs to tackle the rapid transformation of the legal sector.
Key Takeaways
- AI: Transformative, Not Just Trendy: The primary focus shifted from if AI will impact law to how it will fundamentally reshape legal systems, firms, and education over the next few years. Panelists emphasized the need for active adaptation to maintain efficiency and competitiveness.
- The Adoption Gap: Insights from the recent “State of Legaltech in Africa 2025” Report highlighted a critical gap: while over half of respondents are aware of legal tech tools, only about a fifth are actively integrating them into daily work. Key barriers remain high costs, lack of training, and resistance to change from firm management.
- Focus on Access to Justice: A major highlight was the showcase of solutions emerging from the Africa Legaltech Hackathon 2025. Winners like Clerra App and Advis Legal First Aid demonstrated innovative, localized tools aimed at democratizing legal help for the average African citizen.
- Borrowing from Fintech: A panel session explored what the legal industry can learn from Africa’s booming fintech revolution—chiefly, the rapid, customer-centric approach to innovation and the successful navigation of complex regulatory environments.
The Details
- Who Was There: The Hangout attracted attendees from over 15 countries, including prominent figures like legal tech founders (Kwame AI) and partners from leading law firms.
The Bottom Line
The conversation is moving past theoretical anxieties about AI and into the phase of practical implementation.
