Revolutionising legal practice: LexisNexis South Africa leads the way in legal technology

LexisNexis South Africa’s Desigan Naidoo, executive manager of technology.

In 2022, the global legal tech market was valued at 28 billion U.S. dollars and is expected to grow significantly over the next decade. “Technology has revolutionised legal research, transforming laborious manual processes into streamlined, efficient digital workflows,” says LexisNexis South Africa’s Desigan Naidoo, executive manager of technology. Reflecting on when technology became truly indispensable to the law, Desigan Naidoo explains that this process was accelerated by the pandemic when restrictions of movement necessitated a move toward digital solutions. “We were forced to embrace these tools in isolation, but we’ve come to realise that they are invaluable to how we practise law,” they say.

Today, advanced digital tools and online databases provide instant access to vast repositories of legal information, case law, and statutes. These innovations save time and enhance the accuracy and comprehensiveness of legal research. Before this, legal research meant countless hours sifting through physical law libraries and paper records. Natural language processing can retrieve relevant legal information with astonishing precision and accuracy. Technology like AI-driven algorithms, data management, and consistently updated libraries of legislation have freed up time for more important tasks like client engagement and innovative thinking.

"Lexis+ South Africa is a prime example of legal technology that is revolutionising how we practise law in South Africa," says Desigan Naidoo. This innovative legal research platform is designed to meet the unique needs of South African legal professionals by combining market-leading local content with AI-powered legal knowledge. Lexis+ SA delivers unmatched efficiency, accuracy, and confidence in legal research, streamlining workflows and offering rapid access to extensive legal databases and reliable sources. Its advanced tools and intuitive interface significantly enhance productivity. Desigan Naidoo adds, "It’s an indispensable tool for legal professionals striving for excellence in their practice.”

Legal technology has also profoundly transformed access to legislation, court judgments, and legal commentary in making these resources available to a broader audience. A survey in the US unpacks the importance of legal technology in making the law more accessible for non-lawyers. Historically, access to such information was restricted to those who could visit physical law libraries or afford expensive legal publications. The survey lists the most common uses of legal technology in providing access to justice including technology that provides information; technology that connects individuals to attorneys; and technology that automates and produces documents.

In a country like South Africa, where the law has been inaccessible to the broader population greater access to legal knowledge has empowered citizens to make informed choices. To this end, LexisNexis South Africa offers online resource centres and free webinars to uphold the Rule of Law and disseminate crucial information on legislative updates. Similarly, greater access to legal technology empowers firms to undertake more pro bono work promoting equitable jurisprudence and further democratising access to quality legal advice.

However, as legal professionals embrace the benefits of technology, there are concerns about ethics and the element of human judgement that AI may not be capable of exercising. “Humanity will always be a key component in practising law, but data-driven models are essential tools in predicting case outcomes, risk assessment and strategic decision-making,” explains Desigan Naidoo. “Technology will never entirely replace human beings, but it will make us more effective at doing our jobs. We just need to find the right balance and understand technology’s limits and potential.”

Despite ethical debates, legal technology’s benefits far outweigh the concerns. A global 2023 mental health survey reported that more than 60% of legal professionals experience overwhelming exhaustion, attributing much of it to the demanding work environment. By freeing up time and ensuring accuracy to make informed decisions, legal tech empowers lawyers, paralegals, and law students to confidently navigate South Africa’s changing legal landscape and minimise the negative mental health effects of a demanding work environment.

In this pivotal time for our democracy, LexisNexis is committed to driving progress through cutting-edge digital platforms and comprehensive legal databases. Lexis+ South Africa exemplifies this dedication, revolutionising legal practice with its AI-powered tools and market-leading local content. By streamlining workflows, enhancing research accuracy, and offering instant access to extensive legal resources, Lexis+ SA empowers legal professionals to excel and builds a more just and accessible society for all.

About LexisNexis Legal & Professional

LexisNexis Legal & Professional® provides legal, regulatory, and business information and analytics that help customers increase their productivity, improve decision-making, achieve better outcomes, and advance the rule of law around the world. As a digital pioneer, the company was the first to bring legal and business information online with its Lexis® and Nexis® services. LexisNexis Legal & Professional, which serves customers in more than 150 countries with 11,300 employees worldwide, is part of RELX, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers.

For over 85 years LexisNexis South Africa has been at the forefront of legal content and technology, driven by its commitment to the vision of ‘Enhancing the Potential of the African Continent by Advancing the Rule of Law’. With its strong community of legal professionals, it advances the practice of law. Through its corporate solutions, it advances compliance with the law. Finally, LexisNexis partners closely with government to advance the upholding of the law. Today, LexisNexis South Africa provides the most trusted and credible legal and regulatory content and intelligent, digital platforms. Its corporate solutions guide clients to better decisions, grounded in the latest legislation and regulatory developments. LexisNexis® prides itself on offering unmatched content accuracy together with superior technology. From e-signature to GRC, LexisNexis equips today’s organisation to protect against risk in the most robust way.

About RELX

RELX is a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. RELX serves customers in more than 180 countries and has offices in about 40 countries. It employs more than 33,000 people over 40% of whom are in North America. The shares of RELX PLC, the parent company, are traded on the London, Amsterdam and New York stock exchanges using the following ticker symbols: London: REL; Amsterdam: REN; New York: RELX.