The 2026 Legal Summit, titled "Truth, Trust & Technology: Implications of AI for Law," was a one-day event held on March 4, 2026, at The Mint in Sydney. Organized by the Centre for the Future of the Legal Profession at UNSW Sydney, the summit convened legal professionals, academics, and industry leaders to explore the transformative impact of artificial intelligence on the legal sector.
Key topics addressed included the integration of generative AI in litigation, the evolving landscape of legal ethics in the digital age, and the influence of AI on legal education and law firm strategies. Sessions such as "GenAI in Litigation: The State of Play" and "AI, Legal Ethics & the Digital Frontier" provided in-depth analyses of these subjects.
The summit featured notable speakers, including The Hon. Judith Gibson, former Judge of the District Court of New South Wales, who delivered the keynote address. Other distinguished participants were Professor George Shinkle from UNSW, Noel Lim, CEO of Anika Legal, and Stephen Bray, Commissioner for Uniform Legal Services Regulation. Attendees had opportunities for networking and engaging discussions throughout the day.
Legal practitioners, educators, and students interested in understanding and navigating the challenges posed by AI in the legal field would find this summit particularly beneficial. The event offered actionable insights and strategies to adapt to the rapidly evolving technological landscape in law.
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Speakers(13)
Ben Langford
General Counsel at CustomerX, Technology & Primary Connect, Woolworth Group
Joined the panel 'AI and Business Ramifications for the Legal Sector', discussing the impact of AI on legal services and client relationships.
Dr. Felicity Bell
Deputy Director at Centre for the Future of the Legal Profession
Participated in the panel 'GenAI in Litigation: the State of Play', highlighting the need for clear professional safeguards in the use of generative AI in court processes.
Emma Covacevich
Chief Executive Partner at Clayton UTZ
Contributed to the panel 'AI and Business Ramifications for the Legal Sector', sharing insights on how law firms are adapting to the challenges and opportunities presented by AI.
Jen Bradley
Special Counsel at Gilbert + Tobin
Presented 'The Law Firm Cyber Security Defence Playbook: Preventing and Responding to The Modern Threat', examining the evolving threat landscape for law firms.
Melissa Fai
Partner at Gilbert + Tobin
Co-presented 'The Law Firm Cyber Security Defence Playbook: Preventing and Responding to The Modern Threat', focusing on strategies for law firms to prevent and respond to modern cyber threats.
Noel Lim
CEO and Co-founder at Anika Legal
2025 Victorian of the Year; spoke on access to justice, arguing that generative AI may be a powerful accelerator but will not close the justice gap without deeper structural and cultural change across the legal system.
Professor Alex Steel
Professor at School of Law, Society & Criminology, UNSW
Participated in the panel 'AI and learning to be a lawyer: Data and debate: the student perspective', offering insights into how law students are navigating generative AI.
Professor George Shinkle
Professor at School of Management and Governance, UNSW
Chaired the session 'AI and Business Ramifications for the Legal Sector', challenging senior leaders to articulate their organizations' strategic responses to generative AI.
Professor Michael Legg
Director at Centre for the Future of the Legal Profession
Chaired the session 'GenAI in Litigation: the State of Play', discussing the growing use of generative AI in court processes and the associated risks.
Stephen Bray
Commissioner at Uniform Legal Services Regulation
Addressed the ethical dimensions of AI adoption and the profession's responsibility to maintain public trust in the session 'AI, Legal Ethics & the Digital Frontier'.
The Hon. Judith Gibson
Former Judge at District Court of New South Wales
Delivered the keynote address at the 2026 Legal Summit, reflecting on professional skill, judgment, and the challenges posed by emerging technologies in legal decision-making.
Vicki McNamara
Senior Research Associate at Centre for the Future of the Legal Profession
Contributed to the panel 'GenAI in Litigation: the State of Play', emphasizing increasing judicial scrutiny and the risks of false citations and unverified reasoning.
Zeina Milicevic
Partner at MinterEllison
Participated in the panel 'AI and Business Ramifications for the Legal Sector', discussing strategic responses to generative AI in the legal industry.
Event Details
- Date
- March 4, 2026
- Location
- 🇦🇺 Sydney, Australia
- The Mint
- Pricing
- Paid
- Audience
- Legal professionals, academics, industry leaders, and students interested in the impact of AI on the legal profession.
- CLE Credits
- Up to 10 CPD points