SWCM proudly marked a milestone with its 5th Colloquium, hosted at the McDonald’s South Africa Headquarters in Sandton, where we had the exceptional honour of welcoming the Honourable Deputy Chief Justice Dunstan Mlambo as our keynote speaker.
Attendees arrived eager to meet him, yet departed deeply moved by his wisdom, humility, and unwavering commitment to advancing transformative change within the South African judiciary.
We extend our sincere gratitude to the Honourable Deputy Chief Justice Mlambo for graciously accepting our invitation to join this year’s colloquium, dedicated to exploring the timely theme: “Artificial Intelligence – its impact and the ethical considerations within the legal fraternity.”
Deputy Chief Justice Mlambo emphasised the following key lessons that young legal practitioners should take away from this year’s colloquium:
“Young aspirant legal practitioners should realise that older and more experienced practitioners have already gained the lay of the land when it comes to practising law. This offers a perfect opportunity for the experienced to hone the skills and ideas of young and aspirant practitioners. Young practitioners often bring radical views on the law, while older and experienced practitioners tend to be cautious. Intergenerational discussions are important for the country to move forward in the field of law, as this will ultimately create lasting innovation.”
The Deputy Chief Justice went on to stress that:
“We must ensure that AI is, in fact, creating access to justice, and not merely efficiency for an elite minority who can afford it,” and further highlighted the need for collaboration, communication, and conviction to bridge the gap between older and younger generations in an ever-changing world.
SWCM also takes this opportunity to warmly congratulate Deputy Chief Justice Mlambo on his appointment to the Constitutional Court and we wish him continued success as he embarks on this new chapter of service to the nation.
The 5th Annual Colloquium was not only a celebration of dialogue and learning but also a reaffirmation of SWCM’s mission to cultivate a generation of legal professionals who are equipped to confront emerging challenges with courage, creativity and integrity. The presence and guidance of Deputy Chief Justice Mlambo reminded us that transformation within the legal fraternity is not a solitary journey but a shared responsibility across generations.
With renewed conviction, we look forward to building on the foundation laid at this year’s milestone event, confident that together we can drive meaningful change within the legal fraternity and beyond.