For its 11th edition, the Open Days (JPO) of the Higher School of Technology and Management (ESTM) focused on the future of legal professions in the digital age.

“The Transformation of Legal Professions in the Age of Artificial Intelligence,” the central theme of the meeting, brought together teachers, students, and experts. During a morning filled with lively discussions, participants explored how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming not only legal practice but also the training of future lawyers.

Renowned academics, such as Professor Abdoulaye Sakho, Professor Mamadou Niane, and Professor Ibrahima Samb Dankoco, were present. Together, they discussed the opportunities and challenges related to the integration of AI into law, emphasizing the importance of a balance between technology and human judgment.

“Artificial intelligence is a product of the machine. It should help to make decisions, but it should not replace human free will and autonomy; as far as the relationship between AI and the law is concerned, it should be one of complementarity and collaboration,” it was explained.

At the heart of the discussions: the need to train lawyers in the use of digital tools, to understand the ethical issues related to algorithms, and to preserve autonomy in legal decision-making.

For Professor Ibrahima Samb Dankoco, artificial intelligence is not a threat, but an opportunity to be seized. According to him, the role of teachers and students is to train themselves in AI, to integrate it into curricula and classrooms, while ensuring that its use is supervised and beneficial.

The students, who came in large numbers, were able to attend this panel and ask questions about the practice and management of AI in school and university settings.

This 11th Open House at ESTM demonstrated that legal professions in Senegal are at a historic turning point. Artificial intelligence is not replacing lawyers, but paving the way for unprecedented collaboration between humans and machines, offering new perspectives for justice and professional training in the country.