To mark the 2025 United Nations World Youth Skills Day (WYSD) on 15 July, the International Bar Association (IBA) - the global voice of the legal profession - emphasises the importance of equipping young legal professionals with digital and artificial intelligence (AI) skills as this year's UN theme - ' Youth empowerment through AI and digital skills ' - underlines the pivotal role that technology is playing in shaping economies and societies.
As the Fourth Industrial Revolution progresses, the IBA underscores the need for young lawyers to develop competencies in AI and digitalisation. According to the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) 70 per cent of youth worldwide are economically disengaged due to a lack of relevant skills and almost half of students feel unprepared for workplaces increasingly driven by AI.
For young lawyers, the IBA has numerous avenues for learning, including internships, mentoring and research resources focused on AI and digitalisation issues.
Focusing on young lawyers and equipping them with the digital skills they will need in the coming decades is a priority for the IBA President. Furthermore, the 2024 IBA Impact Report highlights the importance of digital skills as well as the motivational drivers for young professionals to pursue values-driven work. Along with promoting pro bono work and access to justice, the Association highlights the critical role that the law plays in defending human rights and combating injustice globally.
IBA President Jaime Carey highlighted the purpose-driven nature of legal careers, stating: 'Young professionals are eager to make a difference, and law provides a powerful platform to address pressing issues like pro bono initiatives, digital transformation and social justice. Additionally, as digitalisation and robotic control become more prevalent across industries, younger lawyers will play a crucial role in shaping legal frameworks to ensure these technological advances are positive and useful for all of humankind.'
Bruno Maggi, Co-Chair of the IBA Young Lawyers' Committee (YLC), remarked: 'Empowering young lawyers with digital skills is essential for shaping a fairer and more just future as we are the architects of tomorrow's legal landscape.'
Zeina Obeid, Co-Chair of the IBA YLC, said: 'Providing access to resources, mentorship and meaningful opportunities enables young professionals to find purpose in their work and become leaders who drive justice and innovation worldwide.'
The IBA YLC supports early-career lawyers through training courses, surveys, awards and a global network of national representatives. Also, the annual IBA ICC Moot Court Competition , held in The Hague and organised by the Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies of Leiden Law School , offers law students a platform to hone their skills in international criminal law.
On 23 July 2025 the IBA YLC, in conjunction with other IBA Committees, will host a free online interactive discussion: Young lawyers and leadership . The webinar will cover topics relating to young lawyers, and the panel will ask how senior lawyers can provide support in an increasingly complex and fast-paced legal environment.
