Future of Legal Services Commission
Formerly known as the IBA Task Force on the Future of Legal Services, the IBA Management Board agreed to formally establish a commission to coordinate the IBA’s activities and projects around the future of legal services – one of the key areas of focus for the whole organisation.
The aim of the Future of Legal Services Commission will be to analyse and report on the state of the legal profession, specifically looking at changing client demands, new entrants to the legal industry, regulatory changes and education, and digitisation/technology. Once this step has been completed, the Commission will recommend how to respond to these challenges affecting the profession, and design projects and programmes to prepare the legal profession for the future.
For any questions to the Commission, to make suggestions or inquiries, please contact divisions@int-bar.org
Future of Legal Services Commission Global Heatmap Survey 2026
The IBA Future of Legal Services Commission Global Heatmap Survey 2026 is now open. It takes approximately 7-10 minutes and can be accessed here.
This survey, the fourth in a series starting in 2023, is of critical importance, gathering together the global profession’s views and insights on the many issues facing the legal industry. It will feed into a report to be published on the IBA website, informing the activities of all the IBA Committees by providing essential insights on the issues of greatest concern to members, broken down into sub-categories of respondents.
It is open to all lawyers at every level and from every form of practice, including private practitioners, in-house teams, students, academics, and the judiciary.
Complete the survey today and make sure your voice is heard.
The leadership of the Commission consists of the following IBA members:
Officer list
Stephen Bowman
Co-Chair
Firm Address
- 31 MacPherson AvenueToronto
Canada
M5R 1W7
Hideaki Roy Umetsu
Co-Chair
Firm Address
Mori Hamada & Matsumoto 16th Floor, Marunouchi Park Building,2-6-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku,
Tokyo
Japan
100-8222
Completed projects
Future of Legal Services Global Heatmap Survey Report 2025
This heatmap identifies the key issues affecting the legal profession and then assesses the likely impact of those issues and how ready the profession is to respond to them.
It presents data supplied by respondents from across the profession and our intention is to re-run the survey every year, so that we can track emerging issues and the profession’s response.
Future of Legal Services – Is the law still an attractive career to Gen Z? 2025
This report draws on a wide range of international and national statistical sources, as well as an extensive body of academic literature and social surveys, to answer this question.
It has been designed to look across a range of countries to ensure that the findings are relevant to as wide a range of jurisdictions as possible.
Future of Legal Services Global Heatmap Survey Report 2024
This heatmap identifies the key issues affecting the legal profession and then assesses the likely impact of those issues and how ready the profession is to respond to them.
It presents data supplied by respondents from across the profession and our intention is to re-run the survey every year, so that we can track emerging issues and the profession’s response.
Future of Legal Services Global Heatmap Survey Report 2023
This heatmap identifies the key issues affecting the legal profession and then assesses the likely impact of those issues and how ready the profession is to respond to them.
It presents data supplied by respondents from across the profession and our intention is to re-run the survey every year, so that we can track emerging issues and the profession’s response.
Issues shaping the global legal ecosystem: Drivers for change in legal services - Part Two
Drivers of change in legal services - Part One
- Drivers of change in legal services - Powerpoint presentation (PDF)
- Detailed review of findings
- Appendix 1 of the detailed review - Drivers of Change
Blueprint on Global Legal Education
The Blueprint on Global Legal Education was the first project undertaken as part of the Commission’s remit.