Lucio & ICC-YAAF's "Bridging the Gulf" Conference Explores AI's Impact on Legal Workflows

Lucio, in partnership with the International Chamber of Commerce - Young Arbitrators and ADR Forum (ICC-YAAF), sponsored “Bridging the Gulf”, a two-part conference within ICC-YAAF’s UAE-India Arbitration Series 2025. The first part of the series was held in New Delhi on Apr 26, 2025, with the next segment scheduled to take place in Dubai on May 28, 2025.

The Delhi segment featured discussions on emerging challenges and opportunities for arbitration practitioners arising from the use of AI tools, as well as sessions on cross-cultural advocacy and mastering persuasion in diverse arbitral tribunals. 

Our key takeaways from the discussions on AI and its growing impact on legal practice:

• AI adoption in legal practice is becoming inevitable, as early adopters gain significant competitive advantages, pushing others to follow or risk being sidelined.

• AI can drastically improve arbitration proceedings by automating data-heavy tasks, enabling lawyers and arbitrators to focus on strategy, advocacy, and judgment, thereby enhancing efficiency and making India a more attractive arbitration hub.

• Transparency and accountability in AI-assisted arbitration require safeguards, such as explainability, auditability, and adherence to ethical guidelines like those from Silicon Valley Arbitration & Mediation Center, to mitigate risks like hallucination and decision-making opacity.

• The role of junior lawyers is evolving, with less focus on basic drafting and more emphasis on strategic thinking and review, as AI takes over routine tasks and gives an edge to those who adopt it.

• A new class of lawyers - legal technologists - is emerging, blending legal acumen with technological expertise to support and manage AI-driven workflows within law firms and legal departments.

The event also included a keynote address delivered by Hon’ble Mr. Justice Harish Vaidyanathan, Judge, Delhi High Court.

Binit Agrawal, Founders’ Office at Lucio, spoke about how AI is reshaping legal workflows by enhancing precision, efficiency, and innovation in dispute resolution. He went on to highlight how Lucio empowers over 2300 legal professionals across 70 different firms, and in-house teams, and added, “by leveraging AI, Lucio is not just streamlining legal workflows but also empowering professionals to focus on what truly matters: strategic thinking, advocacy, and reasoning”.

About ICC-YAAF

The International Chamber of Commerce Young Arbitrators and ADR Forum (ICC-YAAF) offers a global network of over 39,000 legal professionals across seven Regional Chapters: Africa, Middle East and Türkiye, North Asia, South Asia, Europe and Russia, Latin America and North America. YAAF provides individuals with a platform to enhance their understanding of ICC's Dispute Resolution Services, as well as opportunities for skills development, knowledge sharing, and networking.

For more information, visit https://iccwbo.org/dispute-resolution/professional-development/yaaf-programme/