Last month, members of our professional services team including Christine Evans, Keith Reid, and Daniela Balverde, attended Web Summit 2024 in Lisbon, Portugal, from 11–14 November. Known as one of the largest technology events globally, Web Summit brought together 71,528 attendees, 953 speakers, 1,066 investors, and 3,050 exhibiting companies, 1,200 of which are women founded, presenting developments in technology and its impact across industries.
For our team, it was an opportunity to network with professionals from multiple sectors, learn from global figures, and participate in discussions on key topics. It was also an opportunity to step away from the desk and take time to consider vendor solutions for some of our day-to-day technology problems.
This year, AI was a dominant focus, shaping conversations over the four-day event and offering insights into how businesses are adapting to technological change. Our team was particularly interested in understanding how AI is changing the legal landscape and how we can best advise our clients to navigate these changes.
Highlights from Web Summit 2024
The conference provided an agenda filled with talks and panels led by industry leaders, innovators, and experts. Two sessions stood out for our team:
“The Flattening of Everything: The Battle of Efficiency vs Effectiveness” presented by Sairah Ashman, Global CEO of Wolff Olins. This session explored the critical balance between efficiency and effectiveness in a rapidly changing world. Listening to Sairah’s presentation from a law firm perspective emphasized the need for firms to find efficient solutions without compromising the quality and effectiveness of our legal counsel.
In “I Invented the Web: Here’s How to Make It Better”, Sir Tim Berners-Lee, Inventor of the World Wide Web and John Bruce, Co-Founder and CEO of Inrupt, highlighted the growing importance of digital wallets, predicting that over 60% of the global population will use them regularly by 2026. For our clients, this means understanding the legal and regulatory implications of digital wallets, ensuring compliance with data protection laws, and proactively addressing potential challenges.
Beyond the Summit
The Web Summit was also an opportunity to connect as a team. Between sessions and networking events, the team explored Lisbon, tried local cuisine, and prepared for the next day’s schedule. These moments reinforced the importance of collaboration in and out of the office.
We’re looking forward to Web Summit 2025!
