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PRIME MINISTER Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has called for a transformation in legal education, urging that law students be trained as “ethical filters” capable of making sound judgments in an increasingly data-driven and technology-driven world.
Speaking at the opening of the Commonwealth Legal Education Association Conference 2026 held at Universiti Malaya on Thursday, he emphasised that the legal profession must evolve alongside artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.
“The lawyer in 2030 will therefore no longer be a search engine in a suit. Nor are they, because far more will be required,” The Star reported him saying.
He stressed that legal training must equip students with skills that cannot be easily replicated by machines.
“The law degree of the future must encompass the ability to make reliable and rigorous judgments in light of the voluminous data available,” he added.
Beyond technical competence, the Prime Minister underscored the importance of empathy in legal practice.
“This will allow the profession to evolve into a more holistic dispute resolution mode, where forms of dispute resolution like mediation, negotiation and conciliation provide practical solutions, particularly in individual and private law disputes domestically,” he said.
He also urged current practitioners to adapt to changing societal needs, warning against making the legal system inaccessible.
“It is necessary to comprehend the needs of the public, and not to gate-keep the law in a way that makes it inaccessible to ordinary people. Too often, it is those with the least resources who are deprived of meaningful recourse to the law,” he said.
The conference, themed “Lawyering 2030: Skills, Strategy & Legal Education for a Changing Commonwealth”, is being held in Malaysia from 2 to 3 April at the Shangri-La Hotel Kuala Lumpur, bringing together around 350 delegates including judges, legal practitioners, academics, policymakers, and students from across the Commonwealth.
In his welcoming remarks, Universiti Malaya Vice-Chancellor Professor Datuk Seri Dr Noor Azuan Abu Osman, highlighted the enduring importance of legal education amid global uncertainty.
“We meet at a time when the global order is under strain, reshaping the foundations of law, sovereignty and justice. In such a world, the rule of law cannot be assumed. It must be reviewed, strengthened and renewed,” he said.
Also present at the opening ceremony were Chief Justice Datuk Seri Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh, Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Minister Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, Federal Court Judge Tan Sri Nallini Pathmanathan along with Zainun Ali, S Sivakumar, and Prashant Kumar Misra, representing Surya Kant. - April 2, 2026