LegalTechTalk Uncovered 2025 – Sahar Farooqi – E07

You can hear Rob and Sahar discussing:

Connect with Sahar here: 

https://uk.linkedin.com/in/sahar-farooqi

Transcript

00:00

Welcome to the Legally Speaking podcast, LegalTechTalk Uncovered mini-series 2025, sponsored by Clio.

00:07

We’re back with our red mic for a behind-the-scenes series all about legal innovation at Europe’s largest legal tech event.

00:15

So we’re granted access to meet some of the greatest speakers, sponsors, brands in the whole legal tech world.

00:22

We’ve got 300 speakers with over 70 sessions, with over 4,000 attendees from all across the globe, hittingus here over the next two days at LegalTechTalk live in London.

00:33

From AI to access to justice to smart compliance, you name it, we’re covering it all.

00:38

This isn’t just another conversation or another conference, it’s a blueprint for community and transformation.

00:45

So buckle up, we’re speaking with some incredible people about policy change, change makers, legal innovation and so much more over and out.

00:55

Welcome to the Legally Speaking podcast, live from LegalTechTalk.

00:59

Yet again.

01:00

Named, title, organization.

01:02

Well, that has changed since the last time we spoke.

01:05

I am now the CEO of LegalNC.

01:09

You absolutely are.

01:10

So we’re joined by the amazing Sahar Farooqi.

01:12

I believe this is your third time on the show from the UK to Dubai and now live at LegalTechTalk as we walk around.

01:18

Yeah, absolutely it is.

01:20

And it is an absolute pleasure as always.

01:22

Now running my own business.

01:25

as a CEO.

01:26

So you do have your new business.

01:28

So in one sentence, what problem are you actually trying to solve with Legalentia?

01:34

Resistance to change within law firms, Princess Lee.

01:37

Specifically, what change?

01:40

Change when it comes to culture, change when it comes to tech integration, when it comes to growth, all of the things that law firms and professional services face,but struggle to implement when it comes to the crunch point for various reasons, whether that’s to do with other priorities or it’s to do with elements of management.

02:07

management.

02:08

Yeah.

02:08

Okay.

02:09

And then as an extension of that, what’s one assumption?

02:12

Obviously, we’re at the largest legal tech conference in Europe.

02:14

You’ve also been supporting.

02:15

And yeah, let’s have a look around, look at the views as well.

02:17

They’re incredible over there.

02:18

You’ve got Canary Wharf, you can see HSBC, you can see Barclays.

02:21

Yeah, you can see some awesome.

02:22

And then we’ve got the speaker lounge just down there.

02:24

We’ve got our HQ.

02:24

Where do you want to go?

02:25

So this is your interview.

02:26

Should we have a little wander around?

02:27

The steps down to the main area.

02:28

We can even maybe go and get a bit of the buzz.

02:30

But what’s one assumption about legal tech you think most people are still getting wrong?

02:37

that it’s not for them, or within that, it’s too expensive or prohibitive for them.

02:43

The reality is that the time to invest is now.

02:47

And the fear around it, sometimes stemming from the cost, both in terms of financial and time, is one of those things that I thinkis a massive challenge.

02:59

Yeah.

03:00

Okay.

03:00

And I think we were talking about that in Dubai, actually, in terms of the time is still now.

03:06

You can’t afford to sit on your hands.

03:07

No time at the present.

03:08

But if people are taking my advice, then they’d already be, what is that, like six months further down the line, right?

03:13

Yeah.

03:13

It’s just one of those things that has to, you have to be ready to make that investment in change.

03:18

Okay.

03:19

And what’s your session or sessions about at LegalTechTalk?

03:23

literally resistance to change and why law firms struggle to invest in transformation.

03:29

So absolutely my wheelhouse.

03:32

Yeah, absolutely.

03:33

And very much what you’re known for and doing some great work.

03:35

Okay, this year’s themes are everything from law and tech, evolution, revolution, access to justice, purpose driven law, you name it, collaboration, smart compliance.

03:43

If you could just choose one of those, which of those are you most passionate about?

03:48

You reeled them off pretty quickly there.

03:50

Access to justice, purpose-driven law, law tech, evolution and revolution, collaboration, or smart compliance.

03:56

I think a lot of those can actually be put together under collaboration, because under collaboration there is an awful lot thathas to come together.

04:06

Access to justice, for example, which is obviously pivotal to anyone who’s ever practiced law anywhere in the world.

04:11

It’s the raison d’etre of the whole thing, right?

04:13

Yeah.

04:14

Access to justice requires collaboration, and part of that is tech integration now, because without tech integration, things are slowing down, and it is turning the tables in terms of who actually has control over a transactional litigation, whichif people collaborate on with tech, then access to justice will improve.

04:36

Yeah, well said.

04:37

I better go because I’m on stage just in here in a couple of minutes.

04:43

There we go.

04:44

So there’s my panelists.

04:45

I’m moderating.

04:46

Look at that.

04:47

So always, always a pleasure, Rob.

04:49

I’m sure I will be on again at some point as well.

04:52

Yeah.

04:52

And for now, from one of us live at LegalTechTalk, Sahar, thanks for joining us.

04:55

Over and out.

04:56

Thank you.

04:56

Thanks.

04:56

Thank you for listening to this week’s episode.

05:00

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05:09

Go to our website, www.legallyspeakingpodcast.com, for the link to join our community there.

05:17

Over and out.