Charting a new path in legal tech

Leah Molatseli, co-founder of the Bloemfontein based law firm, Lenoma Legal, has demonstrated that hard work does pay off.

Her persistent hard work in the legal tech space has opened many platforms for her with the latest one being her appointed as a member of the advisory board for the Women in Tech - South Africa.

She was also recently named one of the Top 50 Individuals leading in Legal Innovation in Africa at the past Africa Legal Innovation Week virtual conference.

"I'm so grateful for the recognition," she says.

Not only is she a legal tech innovator but a speaker who has had the opportunity to give the opening address at the Standard Bank Top Women Regional in Bloemfontein.

"My speech focused on how to stay ahead, I want women to know how to develop myself to

remain relevant in their profession “she says. With all the hard work she puts in Leah says the coming five years will see her working on herself and taking care of her teenagers.

Business focus

Lenoma Legal focuses on small businesses and has created an online platform for small

business owners to gain access to legal advice and legal documents on the platform itself.

According to Leah, lawyers are kept in terms of how much money they can make because

as service providers are limited by the hours, but when digital infrastructure is

incorporated into it makes it limitless.

She says she believes that the law still has barriers to entry not only as legal professionals

but also for people getting access to it, and one of them is expensive lawyers costs are.

Her company is changing the game by providing legal services to anyone who needs them,

through any form of digital.

Being a lawyer requires one to be a critical thinker, problem solver and have a thick skin.

You have to be passionate about whatever that you do and be prepared not to have much of

social a life. But you have to make a decision that you want to have a life because it is not an

easy profession.

"If you are incorporating technology into it be different and think of different ways to

change law space in terms of how you do it” she adds.

Challenges and inspiration

The biggest challenge in the industry is being a black woman, she laments. There is also

added social pressure for moms.

"It is sad that when you enter the industry you are told to act a certain way because you are

being watched.” Leah aims to create a whole new system that invalidates the current system rather than

change it.

Her inspiration to be the woman she is today comes from her children and mother. She

believes that children learn what they see. She hopes that the hard work, drive and

ambition she has will ultimately rub off on her children.

She is kept going by being selfish with her time, what she chooses to do with her life, who

she chooses to put into her life and entertain, that mindset cuts out unnecessary things.

"If anything does not serve me or serve the purpose or in terms of making me great why

should I be entertaining it," she says.