The "Diversity in LegalTech" virtual roundtable, held on March 4, 2021, was organized by Global LegalTech Talks. This event brought together influential professionals from the legal technology sector and advocates from DELTAS, an ethical group dedicated to promoting diversity and ethics in legal technology and security. The panel engaged in an open debate exploring the progress made and the employment barriers that persist within legal technology and cybersecurity, while also addressing the technical changes occurring within law firms.
Key topics discussed included diversity in the workplace, particularly the challenges of recruiting from a limited pool of candidates; the impact of the technological revolution on minority students and STEM uptake in schools; the regression of diversity during the pandemic and the necessity to move forward rather than resuming previous practices; and the controversial concept of 'Vaccine Passports' and the challenges they may present to firms.
The event featured notable speakers such as David Fazakerley, IT Director at Saffery Champness; Yosr Hamza, Director and Legal Counsel for the Middle East at Gartner; Shilpa Bhandarkar, Global Head of Innovation at Linklaters; Mabel Harvey, IT Director at Fieldfisher; and Alicia Alina, Chief People Officer at Slater and Gordon. These experts shared their insights and experiences, contributing to a comprehensive discussion on diversity within the legal technology sector.
This roundtable was particularly relevant for legal professionals, technologists, HR specialists, and diversity advocates seeking to understand and address the challenges and opportunities related to diversity in legal technology. Attendees gained valuable perspectives on fostering inclusivity and driving ethical practices within their organizations.
Speakers(5)
Alicia Alina
Chief People Officer at Slater and Gordon
Alicia is the Chief People Officer at Slater and Gordon Lawyers & is the Executive lead over our People & Culture function. Her main focus is on developing the Group wide People agenda with strategic oversight over Human Resources, organisational change and design, talent development & resource planning. This includes leading change management across the Group combined with responsibility for internal and external communication for the business brand and values.
David Fazakerley
IT Director at Saffery Champness
David is the IT Director of Top 15 Accountancy firm Saffery Champness LLP, having taken up the role this year. For the last 16 years, David has held various roles with Eversheds LLP, Taylor Rose MW, K-Cloud and CTS and has experience both on the supply side as well as the client side of firms in the legal and now accountancy sectors. He is an active and founding member of DELTAS and a champion of ED&I initiatives within the various organisations he works for.
Mabel Harvey
IT Director at Fieldfisher
Mabel joined Fieldfisher more than 20 years ago as an IT manager, responsible for easing the change to desktop computers for every partner. She became IT director three years ago and now heads a team of around 40 technicians across the firm’s UK and international offices. Her main focus is successfully transforming the technology of a firm expanding into new locations and introducing new systems to support the growing business.
Shilpa Bhandarkar
Global Head of Innovation at Linklaters
Shilpa Bhandarkar is the Global Head of Innovation for Linklaters, responsible for fostering a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship within the firm, leading the firm’s strategy on emerging areas such as artificial intelligence and data analytics, exploring opportunities for process improvement and automation, and engaging with legal tech start-ups and academia to stay at the forefront of legal sector developments and thought leadership.
Yosr Hamza
Director, Legal Counsel | Middle East at Gartner
Yosr is a bilingual multi-award winning experienced legal counsel with both a private practice and in-house background, and a certified In-house Counsel (ICC) by the Association of Corporate Counsel. She has broad experience in legal and risk management, corporate governance and compliance, and crisis management. Yosr is passionate about mentorship, sponsorship, diversity equity & inclusion, women empowerment and creating opportunities for minorities, people of color, women and young students to thrive throughout their legal career journey.
Event Details
- Date
- March 4, 2021
- Location
- Virtual
- Audience
- Legal professionals, technologists, HR specialists, diversity advocates