The spread of Generative Artificial Intelligence and the movement towards regulation should accelerate the growth of the global legal technology market. According to Gartner, in the next three years, this sector will be generating around US$50 billion worldwide. With an eye on the opportunities this trend offers, lawyers are increasingly seeking to deepen their knowledge in IT and data protection, and a significant number are even beginning to intensify a career shift, seeking to specialize in key sectors of this ecosystem. According to a study by DeServ Academy, the educational arm of DeServ Tecnologia & Serviços, the student body for the institution's specialization courses already includes 23.1% legal professionals. This number corresponds to 50% of the percentage of IT workers (46.15%).
Bruna Fabiane da Silva, a partner at DeServ Academy, who was elected at the end of last year as one of the 50 Best Women in Cybersecurity in the Americas by WOMCY (LATAM Women in Cybersecurity), argues that the growing participation of lawyers in these courses is directly related to the perception that the corporate world increasingly needs specialized labor in information security and data protection.
According to her, lawyers can specialize in niche areas within privacy and security, such as risk management, incident response, and data governance. "The increasing integration of technology across all sectors means that data protection becomes a priority, and lawyers with IT expertise can excel," she states.
The expert also comments that the consolidation of the General Data Protection Law (LGPD), for example, has exponentially increased the need for companies to hire people who have in-depth knowledge of all aspects of this legislation, as well as the technologies and best practices for its compliance. In this sense , according to her, lawyers specializing in information security stand out in the market for offering legal consulting and compliance services to companies that need to protect sensitive data.
“Expertise in this area of knowledge allows for the expansion of the service portfolio, including compliance audits and information security training. Furthermore, it's possible to provide consulting services in the creation and review of information security policies, aligning organizations with best market practices. Finally, a legal professional specializing in IT adds to their competencies an advanced ability to defend companies in litigation cases related to information security breaches,” he concludes.
The executive draws attention to another area where the presence of professionals in the company's courses has been growing. According to the study, participants in the classes who work in the Compliance sector already account for 11.54% of the total. The study reveals that 40.4% of DeServ students are in the 35-44 age range, while another 27% are in the 45-54 age range. The male audience is predominant, representing 67% of the total. Regarding educational level, all students have or are pursuing higher education, with 61.5% holding postgraduate degrees, 28.8% holding undergraduate degrees, and 9.62% having incomplete or ongoing higher education.
With a faculty comprised of professionals recognized in the market, DeServ Academy specializes in training and development for obtaining international certifications related to EXIN, IAPP, and CompTIA. In 2022, the unit was responsible for 22.3% of the company's revenue. Last year, this level rose ten percentage points, reaching 32.3%, with the prospect of advancing even further in 2024 and definitively consolidating itself as the company's main source of revenue.
