At the 2021 Bucerius Fall Conference, attendees got a sneak peek at the digital reality of the in-house legal profession, courtesy of BRYTER and The Lawyer.
Every autumn, hundreds of legal professionals gather at the Bucerius Center on the Legal Profession to discuss the future of the legal market. We attended the 2021 conference in November and as usual, it was filled with great conversations about the future of legal work. If you weren’t there, you’re likely wondering what that future looks like. And simply put, it looks very digital.
We had the opportunity to share our own insights into the state of the in-house legal profession and previewed our upcoming collaboration with The Lawyer — The Lawyer and BRYTER Annual In-house Legal Technology and Automation Report — which will officially be published in early January 2022.
Read on for our recap of the conference, and a sneak peek at what you can expect from our upcoming report with The Lawyer.
Are you ready for the future?
That was the central question explored, and the theme of the 2021 conference. To be ready for the future, savvy lawyers will need to master their current core business and innovation at the same time. But how do you do that?
The conference’s own description explains, “You need a clear strategic decision, often structural and procedural changes and a high level of clarity in management.”
We agree, and we’d also add that you need the right tools — ones that get you up and running quickly, so you don’t have to juggle innovation with the day-to-day tasks that just can’t wait.
A return to Bucerius for in-person discussions
On day one of the conference, we were excited to be able to gather in-person with members of the legal community. It was a sunny day at the Bucerius Law School in Hamburg and the mood was just as warm.
Panel discussion topics ranged from how to effectively drive innovation as in-house counsel to the future of leadership. And in-between panels, we had the opportunity to network with friends, customers, and new acquaintances alike over food and drinks.
The day ended with more discussions over dinner that left us eagerly anticipating day two — and our chance to present some newfound insights to the legal community!
Previewing The Lawyer and BRYTER Annual In-house Legal Technology and Automation Report
On the second day of the conference, we premiered a few of the key findings we gathered in our upcoming publication, The Lawyer and BRYTER Annual In-house Legal Technology and Automation Report. Thomas Procter, Head of Research at The Lawyer, and Michael Grupp, CEO of BRYTER no-code platform, gave attendees an exclusive early look into the results of the study, which explores how in-house legal teams are going digital and using workflow automation. Some of the key topics addressed in the report include:
- How legal operations and compliance teams are participating in digitization, even without support from IT
- Opportunities to scale legal services by making them self-service using no-code
- Where it’s most important to invest when it comes to your legal tech stack
- The changing role of the legal counsel within organizations
The final survey will be published in early January 2022. Sign up for our newsletter to be notified when the report is released so you don’t miss your chance to get a copy!
Looking ahead to 2022 and beyond
After a short review of some early results from our survey, the session came to an end, and so did the 2021 Bucerius Fall Conference. But the conversations sparked at the conference are only just beginning. We’re glad to have reconnected with old friends in the legal community and look forward to continuing talks with our new connections as well.
With the legal profession continuing to evolve in exciting ways, conferences like Bucerius are more important than ever for those of us in the community who want to be ready for the future. With all the changes affecting the industry, one thing is clear: the future of legal work is a bright one. We’re already looking ahead and eagerly anticipating the 2022 Fall Conference!
