Legalweek 2025 was more than a convening of legal professionals — it was a defining moment to examine who has access to opportunity in an era of accelerating technological change. As artificial intelligence, automation, and digital platforms reshape the legal industry, BUiLT curated two dynamic events in New York City centered on leadership and expanding access — to innovation, to representation, and to the tools shaping the future of the profession.

Across both gatherings, one message was clear: sustainable innovation requires intentional leadership that broadens access and ensures emerging technologies serve the entire legal ecosystem.

3rd Annual BUiLT Meeting & Cocktail Reception

Wednesday, March 26 | New York Hilton Midtown

BUiLT’s 3rd Annual Meeting & Cocktail Reception brought together legal technology professionals, industry allies, and future leaders in the Rendezvous Trianon Room at the New York Hilton Midtown. The room buzzed with energy as attendees gathered not only to network, but to engage in substantive dialogue about technology’s evolving role in society.

The evening featured a fireside chat between Paula Edgar, Esq., CEO of PGE Consulting Group LLC, and Dr. Siobahn Day Grady, Associate Professor in the School of Library and Information Sciences at North Carolina Central University.

Paula Edgar is a nationally recognized Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging advisor and civic leader who works with organizations to embed inclusive leadership and systemic change. Her experience advising institutions across sectors positioned her perfectly to moderate a conversation focused on expanding access within technology-driven industries.

Dr. Siobahn Day Grady is a pioneering computer scientist, scholar, and advocate for women in STEM. As an Associate Professor at North Carolina Central University, her academic and professional work centers on digital equity, information science, and the societal impact of emerging technologies. She has dedicated her career to expanding access to technology education and ensuring that underrepresented communities are not left behind as innovation accelerates.

Together, they explored critical questions shaping the future of legal technology:

• How can technology policy expand access to digital resources rather than restrict it?
• What structural barriers continue to fuel the digital divide?
• How do we prevent AI and automation from reinforcing disparities?
• What leadership strategies foster meaningful representation in tech-driven fields?

As industries increasingly adopt AI-powered tools, the discussion underscored a pressing reality: innovation without access creates imbalance. Legal and technology professionals must be proactive in designing systems that expand opportunity and reduce structural barriers.

Honoring Leadership: The Horn Leadership Award

A powerful moment of the evening was the presentation of the Horn Leadership Award to Leandreia Coates. This distinguished award recognizes individuals who exemplify visionary leadership, service to the community, and a commitment to expanding access and opportunity within legal technology.

The Horn Leadership Award honors those who not only excel professionally but actively create pathways for others — embodying mentorship, advocacy, and measurable impact. Leandreia Coates’ leadership reflects these values: elevating voices, opening doors, and driving meaningful progress within the legal tech ecosystem. Her recognition served as a reminder that access is built through action, influence, and sustained commitment.

The reception concluded with robust networking — reinforcing BUiLT’s role as a connector of talent, ideas, and opportunity within legal technology.

Connect & Learn: CLE Fireside Chat & Networking Event

Thursday, March 27 | The Palm, Midtown

The momentum continued at The Palm in Midtown, where BUiLT hosted a CLE-accredited fireside chat featuring The Honorable Tanya R. Kennedy, Associate Justice of the Appellate Division, First Department in New York.

Justice Kennedy is widely respected as both a judicial trailblazer and a champion for thoughtful technology integration within the courts. With nearly two decades of experience across Criminal, Civil, Family, and Supreme Courts, she has witnessed firsthand how technology can both enhance and challenge access to justice.

Moderating the session was April Dawson, Associate Dean of Technology and Innovation and Professor of Law at North Carolina Central University School of Law. Dean Dawson is a national leader in AI and legal education, dedicated to preparing future lawyers for an AI-enabled legal landscape.

Together, they examined:

• How AI is transforming judicial decision-making and court administration
• The balance between efficiency and fairness in automated systems
• Best practices for integrating AI without limiting access to justice
• The importance of representation and diversity within the judiciary

Justice Kennedy emphasized that while AI tools offer efficiency and expanded access benefits, the legal profession must remain vigilant about bias, accountability, and ethical guardrails. Dean Dawson reinforced the importance of technological fluency and inclusive leadership in shaping the future of the courts.

CLE accreditation was pursued in multiple states, reinforcing BUiLT’s commitment to expanding access not just to conversation, but to continuing professional development.

The session concluded with a celebratory networking happy hour — marking both the close of Legalweek programming and a renewed commitment to leadership that prioritizes access and forward-looking innovation.

A Continuing Commitment

Legalweek 2025 affirmed that access is not a peripheral issue — it is central to the future of legal technology. As AI continues to evolve, the legal industry must ensure that innovation expands opportunity rather than narrows it.

Through intentional programming, thought leadership, recognition of transformative leaders, and community building, BUiLT remains committed to fostering leadership that increases access — to technology, to influence, and to the future of the legal profession.

The work continues.