The first plenary session of the 2026 Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Lagos Branch Law Week set the tone for a thought-provoking conversation on the future of the legal profession, as leading legal practitioners and technology experts examined the growing impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on legal practice. Held on Monday, June 29, 2026, at The Jewel Aeida, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos, the session was themed “The Rise of AI in Legal Practice: Threat or Tool for the Modern Lawyer?”
Moderated by Omoruyi Uyilaw Ediginwerie, the panel featured distinguished speakers including Ope Olugasa, Rotimi Ogunyemi, Fernandez Marcus-Obiene and Mrs. Olubukola (Buki) Ogunsakin. Together, they explored how AI is transforming legal service delivery, redefining the structure of law firms and creating new opportunities for lawyers willing to embrace technological innovation.
Throughout the engaging discussion, the panelists maintained that artificial intelligence should not be viewed as a replacement for lawyers but as a powerful tool capable of enhancing legal practice. They argued that while AI can perform legal research, draft documents and analyse vast amounts of information within minutes, it cannot replace the human judgment, ethical reasoning and professional responsibility that remain central to legal practice.
A major highlight of the session was the prediction that the traditional pyramid structure of law firms will gradually evolve into a diamond-shaped model, where senior lawyers work alongside AI-powered systems supported by dedicated legal AI operations professionals. Young lawyers were encouraged to position themselves for the future by acquiring skills in prompt engineering, AI governance, legal technology, risk auditing and data management.
The panel also addressed growing concerns over algorithmic bias, explaining that although AI systems may reflect biases embedded in their training data, such biases can be identified, audited and corrected. Speakers observed that human beings are equally susceptible to bias, but unlike human prejudice, AI-generated outcomes can be examined and improved through proper oversight and governance.
Discussions further focused on the changing approach to training young lawyers. Rather than relying solely on traditional legal research and drafting exercises, panelists advocated exposing junior lawyers to reviewing AI-generated work, identifying inaccuracies and detecting hallucinations in legal documents. According to the experts, the ability to exercise sound legal judgment will become the defining value of successful lawyers in the AI era.
Looking ahead, the speakers predicted that clients will increasingly pay for outcomes, trusted relationships, commercial insight, industry expertise and speed of delivery rather than routine legal tasks that artificial intelligence can complete efficiently. AI, they noted, should be seen as a productivity tool that allows lawyers to focus on strategic thinking and higher-value advisory services.
On the future of justice delivery, panelists revealed that AI-assisted judgment drafting technologies are already being explored within parts of Nigeria’s justice system, while similar technologies are being deployed in other jurisdictions to support sentencing recommendations and judicial decision-making. They stressed, however, that transparency, accountability and ethical safeguards must accompany the adoption of AI within the judiciary.
The experts also called for stronger AI governance in Nigeria, advocating local hosting of legal data, investment in domestic digital infrastructure and greater protection of confidential client information. Lawyers were advised to avoid using consumer-grade AI platforms for sensitive client work unless appropriate enterprise-level data protection measures are in place.
As the session drew to a close, the panel unanimously agreed that the future does not belong to lawyers alone or to artificial intelligence, but to professionals who can combine technological innovation with sound legal judgment, continuous learning and unwavering ethical standards. Awards of appreciation were subsequently presented to the panelists before proceedings moved to the next plenary session of the conference.
The first plenary session reinforced the central message of the 2026 NBA Lagos Law Week that the legal profession is entering a new era, one where embracing innovation while preserving the core values of justice, integrity and professional excellence will determine the lawyers who thrive in the years ahead.