FROM ALL IN ALITA, THE VERY BEST IN 2022!

Dear Friends,

1. As the world prepares to turn the page on 2021, and as ALITA looks to embark on more exciting initiatives and journeys in 2022, here’s a recap of ALITA’s major initiatives in 2021.

   
   (A) SOLIA Awards 2021 and Members’ Calls

2. Over September and October 2021, ALITA organised the ALITA SOLIA Awards 2021. The first community-based legal innovation and technology awards in the region, the inaugural Awards was a significant success. The Awards saw 51 candidates from over 20 jurisdictions vying for 6 award categories, and over 23,000 votes and impressions on our voting platform.
   

3. The Finals, which were held online at TechLaw.Fest 2021, also brought together an esteemed judging panel comprising our Board of Advisors Chair Justice Lee Seiu Kin, Mark Beer OBE (Seven Pillars Law) and Mary O. Carroll (Ironclad, Inc.). We were also grateful to have been able to partner the likes of Linklaters, Clifford Chance, CLOC, Skolkovo LegalTech, Prophet.ru and the Singapore Academy of Law. Most importantly, it was inspiring to be able to celebrate the best of the region, with the region.
   

4. We sincerely thank all members who participated in and supported the Awards, and look forward to your support once more in the next iteration of the SOLIA series.
   

5. In April and June 2021, ALITA also launched a series of Members’ Calls. The Members’ Calls successfully provided our Members with an exclusive zone within which deep insights on legal technology could be shared and cultivated, and saw the likes of Andrew Arruda and Dr Mimi Zou leading the discussions. Going forward, we hope to expand the initiative to more of our members and deliver an even better experience.

   
   (B) Partnerships and member relations
   

6. We are pleased to have partnered Theorem and the Asian Law Students Association (ALSA) to enhance benefits for members in the region. Our partnership with Theorem will soon see the launch of an exciting prototype Members Legal Tech Discovery Portal. At the same time, our MoU with ALSA saw ALITA taking in interns from Indonesia, Malaysia and Myanmar, and will see both associations promoting legal technology thought leadership in the region. We’re really excited to see these collaborations bear fruit, and more will be announced in the coming months.
   

7. We are also excited to share that ALITA will be migrating to a new member relations platform from February 2022 onwards. More details will be shared at a later date, but we do not expect the need for members to take any action (as the transfer will be managed on our end). We also wish to thank Regit for their partnership as our member relations platform for the last two years, and wish them the very best going forward.

   
   (C) The next generation
   

8. As ALITA crosses its two-year mark, the time has come for ALITA’s first Steering Committee to hand the reins over to a new team to take ALITA forward. We are happy to share that among the initial 13 members of the Committee, seven have agreed to stay on for an additional term. We would also like to welcome Ms Gautami Raiker, Mr Hsiang Low, Mr Zane Chong and Mr Nanda Min Htin onto the Steering Committee.
   

9. Further, Mr Josh Lee and Mr Lee Ji En will be handing over their portfolios to Mr Brian Tang and Ms Adeline Chin, who will be taking over as the two new Co-Chairpersons of the Steering Committee.
   

10. With these, ALITA’s 2nd Steering Committee comprises Mr Brian Tang (Co-Chairperson), Ms Adeline Chin (Co-Chairperson), Ms Narae Lee, Mr Maurice Rabb, Mr Anton Pronin, Ms Jennifer Lim, Ms Gautami Raiker, Mr Hsiang Low, Mr Zane Chong and Mr Nanda Min Htin. We wish the new Steering Committee the very best of luck in taking ALITA to our next stage of growth, and thank all outgoing Steering Committee Members for their valuable contributions.

    
    (D) Closing thoughts
    

11. It is not possible to capture all that ALITA has collectively helped make happen in 2021 within these paragraphs. This is a testament to the verve, energy and dedication within ALITA. It suffices to say that ALITA has been able to make significant progress towards its objectives in 2021, and to bring even greater benefits to its 230+ member organisations and the wider Asia-Pacific legal innovation and technology community.
    

12. On behalf of the outgoing Steering Committee members, it remains for us to express our incredible gratitude to all of ALITA’s members, partners, advisors, and friends. It has been an amazing experience growing this wonderful organisation for the last two years. The support, friendships and memories we have formed will always remain with and inspire us. As a parting request, we hope that all members and partners can support ALITA’s new Steering Committee just as you have supported us, so that we can take ALITA to new heights together.
    

13. Here’s wishing you a joyous close to 2021, great new beginnings in 2022, and the very best of health!

For the Asia Pacific,

ALITA