https://www.lexisnexis.com/blogs/za/en-USTelligent Community 12https://www.lexisnexis.com/blogs/za/b/legal-intelligence/p/testWed, 01 Apr 2026 10:41:00 GMT70e9d49d-698d-4e02-a4a2-27e38d3f49b5:d8e89f17-dda2-4340-9164-609f99e72f72https://www.lexisnexis.com/blogs/za/b/legal-intelligenceWed, 01 Apr 2026 10:38:00 GMT70e9d49d-698d-4e02-a4a2-27e38d3f49b5:9a60f7c8-845d-468b-9f3e-0b3c129ba49chttps://www.lexisnexis.com/blogs/za/b/brandTue, 24 Mar 2026 05:12:00 GMT70e9d49d-698d-4e02-a4a2-27e38d3f49b5:e289e4ab-975d-4710-b9fa-0bdc02642dc6https://www.lexisnexis.com/blogs/za/b/workflow-solutionsTue, 24 Mar 2026 05:04:00 GMT70e9d49d-698d-4e02-a4a2-27e38d3f49b5:c10a3716-82ca-465d-8651-8c906f742f04https://www.lexisnexis.com/blogs/za/b/search-researchTue, 24 Mar 2026 05:03:00 GMT70e9d49d-698d-4e02-a4a2-27e38d3f49b5:98ca196f-130a-4900-bce0-8ddd72c4807bhttps://www.lexisnexis.com/blogs/za/b/risk-complianceTue, 24 Mar 2026 05:03:00 GMT70e9d49d-698d-4e02-a4a2-27e38d3f49b5:89b9c867-6693-4c3d-b693-22f0e5906270https://www.lexisnexis.com/blogs/za/b/academicTue, 24 Mar 2026 05:02:00 GMT70e9d49d-698d-4e02-a4a2-27e38d3f49b5:a97e556c-1073-4c35-90a8-f8988b0f811dhttps://www.lexisnexis.com/blogs/za/b/compliance/posts/trust-under-pressure-why-compliance-needs-a-reset-in-south-africaWed, 18 Mar 2026 12:31:00 GMT70e9d49d-698d-4e02-a4a2-27e38d3f49b5:ba9a71a6-2dc2-4309-906f-f8d951e998e4Zander KilianSouth Africa’s regulatory environment is widely regarded as mature and globally credible. Yet in many organisations, compliance is still experienced as a cost centre: something to “get done” rather than an important construct that strengthens the business. This traditional framing is increasingly outdated and risky. A better way to understand compliance is as a stabiliser. Businesses don’t operate in isolation; they operate within wider social and economic systems. As organisations scale, they accumulate influence and in the absence of counterbalancing forces can create the conditions for wider systems instability, harm and loss of confidence. Regulation exists to keep systems predictable, manageable and fair. The real challenge is calibration: too little governance can lead to failure; too much friction can throttle competitiveness and innovation. The systems logic is sound, but recent developments have shifted the conversation. Compliance is no longer separable from reputation management. In a world of eroding institutional trust, stakeholders are increasingly judging organisations by observable conduct: what customers experience, what employees report, and what patterns the media amplifies, rather than what is stated in policy documents or annual reports. The implication is uncomfortable but useful: you can be “compliant on paper” and still lose trust in practice. This is why King V matters. Across sectors and enterprise sizes, governance can no longer be treated as procedural formality. King V represents a reset, with simplified language and a unified Disclosure Framework designed to make governance easier to understand, apply and communicate. In other words: the baseline is rising, and clarity becomes a strategic capability, not an admin exercise. One of the most practical ways to “read” compliance maturity is through the emergent patterns. In financial services, the FAIS Ombud recorded 3,382 complaints in 2024/2025 (down from 4,501 the previous year), with signs of improved resolution before escalation, an indicator of an industry shaped by mature regulator relationships and established market-conduct discipline. A key enabler of this success is the Treating Customers Fairly framework (TCF), which translates customer fairness into operational expectations across the product lifecycle. By contrast, the Consumer Goods and Services Ombud recorded 12,207 complaints in 2024/2025 (8% higher than the previous period), with online transactions responsible for a significant share. One interpretation is that fast-growing channels can outpace governance maturity and customer-fairness playbooks, especially where third-party ecosystems and internal controls are still developing. So what should leaders do? The next evolution in reputation management is an integration with compliance: weakening compliance silos and treating governance, risk, customer fairness and culture as interconnected. And because third-party networks often carry hidden risk, supplier due diligence needs to be embedded into everyday procurement, not bolted on after issues surface. Read the full white paper for a practical lens on regulation, trust, King V, complaint-driven maturity signals, and what “good” looks like as an operating discipline; plus how industry-specific compliance toolkits can support faster response, stronger oversight, and audit readiness. Read HereComplianceTrust under Pressurehttps://www.lexisnexis.com/blogs/za/b/press-releases/posts/building-excellence-through-people-lexisnexis-named-2026-top-employerTue, 03 Feb 2026 12:59:00 GMT70e9d49d-698d-4e02-a4a2-27e38d3f49b5:fb6d9111-727e-4627-a6fa-8780fbca7e36Zander KilianAt LexisNexis South Africa, we know that our people are the heart of our success. Which is why we are especially proud to share that we've been officially certified as a 2026 Top Employer for the fourth year in a row. This recognition by the Top Employers Institute is proof that we’re building a dynamic working environment where talented people can thrive, innovate and deliver effective value to our clients. What does being a Top Employer actually mean? Top Employer certification is awarded to companies only after a rigorous, independent assessment of an organisation’s ‘people practices’. From an assessment of the physical working environment to access to learning, inclusion and overall mental and physical wellbeing, it’s an internationally recognised benchmark of HR excellence grounded in evidence gathering. Why this matters to our clients and people? For our clients, this achievement means that you are working with a partner whose people are motivated, high-performing and fully committed to delivering service excellence. It demonstrates that innovation at LexisNexis isn’t just about the development of technological artefacts, but rather that our overall approach to constant renewal is powered by passionate, talented people with purpose. For our team members, it’s a signal that LexisNexis is a place where careers are incubated, built and nurtured over time, perspectives are valued and talent is developed. Moving forward together Sustaining our Top Employer-status year-after-year takes more than just holding a hopeful vision of the future of our business; delivering on it requires consistency, transparency and a tangible investment in people. This recognition reinforces our ongoing commitment to creating a culture of trust, innovation, wellbeing and personal growth. As the African proverb states: ‘If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together’; at LexisNexis South Africa, we’re ultimately striving to move forward together on our mission to advance the rule of law.TOP EMPLOYERPress releasesLexisNexishttps://www.lexisnexis.com/blogs/za/b/webinars/p/testTue, 03 Feb 2026 10:04:00 GMT70e9d49d-698d-4e02-a4a2-27e38d3f49b5:4129b6ce-afe1-442d-93ba-2909e416062ehttps://www.lexisnexis.com/blogs/za/b/press-releases/posts/what-does-the-lexisnexis-2025-innovation-advantage-mean-for-your-legal-workFri, 30 Jan 2026 09:39:00 GMT70e9d49d-698d-4e02-a4a2-27e38d3f49b5:cdddea4e-8742-4f66-968d-778cded59843Zander KilianExcellence in legal work looks slightly different depending on where you sit. Small law firms need speed and consistency. Larger firms need accountability at scale. Government needs defensible decision making, while academia needs rigour and relevance. But in a rapidly changing global context, the same pressures apply to everyone: more complexity, tighter timelines, and higher levels of scrutiny. That is why in 2025, LexisNexis focused our innovation efforts on one outcome: helping professionals move from research to action quickly and confidently using trusted intelligence. Here are some of the innovation highlights from 2025 that can help you build that edge: From knowing the law in theory to applying it in practice One of the most topical advancements that we launched last year was the new B-BBEE practice area added to LexisNexis Practical Guidance. Conveniently offered under various Sector Codes, it turns South Africa’s complex B- BBEE framework into clear, actionable guidance that helps organisations comply, plan, and defend their B-BBEE position with greater confidence. Instead of piecing together advice from legislation, consultants, and past matters, users get centralised guidance, checklists, tools, templates, and consistent interpretation across teams. Legal specific AI that stays grounded in trusted content It was impossible to ignore artificial intelligence in 2025. But rather than adding to the hype, the launch of Lexis+ AI advanced the way legal professionals research, draft, and analyse by integrating legal specific AI capabilities with trusted LexisNexis content and workflows. The value here is not novelty. It is better legal output, produced more efficiently, because the inputs are relevant and reliable. www.lexisnexis.com/.../Snippet2_5F00_Mask_5F00_Screen.mp4 A shift from answering questions to completing tasks Then there is L exisNexis Protégé , which combines personalisation, advanced task automation and integration with trusted workflows and content to enhance productivity and work quality. It adapts to role and workflow, can complete complex tasks and self-review and supports repeatable multi step work with consistency inside a secure ecosystem. www.lexisnexis.com/.../Protege-Hero-Banner_5F00_012424.mp4 Brand new modern platforms for evolving modern legal work For property and due diligence workflows, two significant improvements stood out. Lexis Convey moved online, now offering a fully online, integrated conveyancing solution designed to improve efficiency, flexibility, and collaboration. Foreign Identity Verification within L exis WinDeed and Lexis KYC now extends identity checks to international individuals and entities, enabling real time global checks, stronger cross border compliance and reduced fraud and operational risk. Recognised innovation, built for real-world use Our product innovation is built to benefit the professionals who put their trust in us, but in 2025, LexisNexis was honoured with an AI Innovation Award at Africa Tech Week. The award recognised our commitment to advancing modern legal practice through Lexis+ AI and Protégé , which support faster legal research and drafting. What is coming next in 2026? In 2026, you can look forward to the debut of Lexis KYC+ AI , which will transform KYC from a manual, rules based process into an intelligent, AI driven decision engine. By embedding Protégé, Lexis KYC+ AI will automate workflows, analyse risk holistically and recommend next actions grounded in trusted global data. You cannot predict the future, but if you have already chosen LexisNexis as your strategic legal resource partner, you have chosen a partner that will keep investing in trusted intelligence to help you stay ahead of change. Here is to the progress yet to come.https://www.lexisnexis.com/blogs/za/b/-ai/posts/what-if-your-legal-ai-could-also-think-strategically-communicate-clearly-and-work-beyond-the-lawMon, 08 Dec 2025 08:53:00 GMT70e9d49d-698d-4e02-a4a2-27e38d3f49b5:0e7aa93e-4bdf-40a5-9059-15554736d644Zander KilianDiscover how General AI in Lexis+ AI with Protégé unlocks smarter, more flexible legal work in a secure environment. Lawyers obviously depend on accurate and trusted research tools. These days most forward-thinking lawyers are now turning to reliable, purpose-built legal tech to assist with their workflows, but what happens when you need to go beyond case law to draft a nuanced client email, explore an emerging topic like crypto regulation or break down a complex cross border compliance issue? With the new General AI capabilities in Lexis+ AI with Protégé, the answer is now at your fingertips. More than legal AI; it’s holistic, trusted legal intelligence without limits. LexisNexis has expanded the power of Protégé, your AI legal assistant, to include General AI models that allow legal professionals to conduct a broader range of tasks without leaving the secure Lexis+ AI environment. While Legal AI remains your go to for verified research, drafting and analysis grounded in LexisNexis content, General AI gives you the flexibility to: Draft communications in a natural conversational tone. • Enrich your legal work with real world context and news data. • Conduct foundational research on topics outside of traditional legal domains. • Tackle constructs like strategy, ideation and complex problem solving faster. Whether you are communicating with clients, explaining legal risks to leadership or exploring new legal territories, you now have the right model for every moment from OpenAI o3 for advanced reasoning, GPT 4o for clarity and speed, to GPT 5 for strategic thinking, to Claude Sonnet 4 for fluency and structure. Power, choice and control all in one platform Unlike publicly available AI tools, every prompt and document in the Protégé system remains protected within the LexisNexis secure ecosystem. No switching between apps. No copying information across different platforms. No risk of data loss or accidental exposure. Here is what sets Lexis+ AI with General AI apart: Best-Fit mode lets Protégé match your prompt with the most suitable model. • Manual model selection gives you direct control when needed. • Legal Citation Agent verifies and links any legal citations that appear in a response. • Secure upload and analysis allows you to work confidently with your own documents including contracts, memos and chronologies. Smarter legal work with meaningful productivity improvements. South African legal professionals can now meet rising client expectations and manage growing workloads, while staying ahead of rapid regulatory change with tools designed for modern legal practice. Early results from global users show tangible time savings and stronger output quality, including: Astounding productivity increases of up to 200 percent. • Time savings of between two and four hours each day on complex legal tasks. Are you ready to work smarter, faster and with greater confidence? The future of legal intelligence is not simply faster research, but rather it is strategic reasoning, seamless communication and flexible thinking all delivered from one trusted platform. Get in touch with us to discover how General AI in Lexis+ AI with Protégé can help you power productivity, deliver higher quality work and unlock new economic value. Request a consultation.AILexisNexis Protégéhttps://www.lexisnexis.com/blogs/za/b/-ai/posts/still-wasting-hours-on-manual-kyc-checksFri, 05 Dec 2025 06:55:00 GMT70e9d49d-698d-4e02-a4a2-27e38d3f49b5:8d636e5b-4ae7-4e4a-b9e8-3b3a2d065450Zander KilianDiscover how AI-powered compliance is changing the game for South African businesses. You are no doubt familiar with this picture: You’re onboarding a new client. Documents in hand: IDs, proof of address, company registrations, but now comes the real work. Manual checks. Data inconsistencies. Endless back-and-forth with registries. It’s tedious, error-prone and full of risk. At the same time, regulatory pressures are mounting. FIC-amendments. FATF-grey listing; real consequences for even small oversights. For many businesses, this burden is growing faster than their resources can keep up. Introducing Lexis KYC+AI: A smart, secure and affordable compliance solution built for South African SMEs, mid-market and large enterprises. Lexis KYC+AI is designed to transform and accelerate your “Know Your Customer” workflow through intelligent automation, natural-language interaction and advanced analysis. With built-in due diligence tools , Lexis KYC+ AI removes the manual grind, while still keeping your compliance on track. Now enhanced with AI-capabilities thanks to our trusted assistant, Protégé, Lexis KYC+ AI empowers your team to make smarter, fast decisions. What can Lexis KYC+AI do for you? Summarise and extract data from uploaded documents. Unlock insights from your customer data with natural language-driven queries and verify key information using trusted sources like Home Affairs, CIPC, credit bureaus, and World Compliance. Get answers in plain language by asking compliance questions like: “ List profiles with high Risk ?” Generate reports and KYC certificates in minutes. All interactions are logged in a secure, auditable system. Lexis KYC+AI is: Trusted: Powered by the world’s most authoritative legal and regulatory data. Secure: A closed, encrypted AI-model that protects your data and privacy. Efficient: Reduces 30-minute verifications to just five. Future-ready: Aligns with FICA, FATF and evolving global standards. Available from January 2026 Starting January, every Lexis KYC user, new or existing, will automatically have access to the AI-enhanced Lexis KYC+AI platform; at no extra fee. Are you ready to upgrade your compliance? - Request a Demo TodayKNOW YOUR CUSTOMERKYCLexisNexishttps://www.lexisnexis.com/blogs/za/b/legal/posts/what-will-be-powering-outperformance-in-2026Thu, 04 Dec 2025 08:26:00 GMT70e9d49d-698d-4e02-a4a2-27e38d3f49b5:a3550f0b-613c-4192-868e-ab565e753295Zander KilianBehind every legal brief, compliance audit, fraud detection system and corporate transaction lies a universal tension: the need to act quickly, but with certainty. To innovate, while maintaining a level of control. To manage organisational risk and seize opportunity. Achieving this delicate balance, while navigating a contextual environment that’s only growing more complex by the day, is a lot to ask of any business executive. At LexisNexis South Africa, we recognise these pressures are a significant challenge, but also see them as a strategic opportunity. We feel that it is our duty to respond, not with more noise or vague promises, but with what we call Trusted Intelligence. Trusted intelligence is the reliable guidance that empowers decision-makers to act confidently. It’s the integration of authoritative content, proven workflows and emerging AI-tools, built not to replace professionals, but to sharpen their edge. It's the difference between good business and risky business . Between speed and reckless haste . Between surviving and leading. We understand that leadership today demands more than generic insights. It requires a partner who sees the full landscape: legislative volatility, mounting ESG demands, the unpredictability of markets, the intricacy of digital identity threats and the legal uncertainties that come with generative AI. Trusted Intelligence is how we equip you to move through that landscape with confidence. From estate transfers and AML compliance to corporate governance and legal AI, LexisNexis delivers solutions designed for a new era of precision and responsibility. Whether you're navigating the latest case law, updating your RMCP, digitising your conveyancing process or vetting a job candidate, you need accurate clarity. So, when you choose LexisNexis, you’re not just buying a product or subscribing to a platform. You're partnering with a team that understands your changing world and is committed to helping you transform and outperform in it. Welcome to Trusted Intelligence.AILexisNexistrusted intelligencehttps://www.lexisnexis.com/blogs/za/b/legal/posts/are-your-governance-systems-built-to-lastFri, 28 Nov 2025 10:02:00 GMT70e9d49d-698d-4e02-a4a2-27e38d3f49b5:3b70ff74-759d-4fdb-991d-3821cb0a3a60Zander KilianWhy South Africa’s public institutions need far more than simply good rules.. South Africa isn’t in desperate need of more regulation. From PFMA and MFMA to POPIA and King IV, governance frameworks in this country are clear and abundant. The real challenge? Managing these rules in a way that’s consistent, auditable and future-ready. The reality is that In too many public institutions, compliance still thrives in spreadsheets. Risk logs get lost in inboxes and when key people leave their positions, so too does valuable institutional memory. Obviously as complexity increases this status quo is not sustainable and ideally not how modern governance should be practiced. But there are distinct signals that a wholesale mindset shift is happening within the sector. An increasing number of public sector institutions are consciously choosing to move toward integrated Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) platforms like Lexis GRC, a centralised compliance system built specifically for South Africa’s legislative context. Adopting Lexis GRC is not just digital transformation for the sake of it; it’s about enabling smarter oversight, better decision-making and the reliance on systems that hold up under scrutiny. What does this look like in practice? A single platform for tracking obligations across PFMA, MFMA and POPIA. Real-time dashboards that surface risks before they escalate. Structured workflows that embed accountability into daily tasks. Digital audit trails that don’t vanish when someone changes roles. From the perspective of public sector institutions that are embarking on this transition, this is a radical shift in mindset. Good governance is no longer about reacting to problems after the fact, but rather about having the right tools in place to prevent them from happening in the first place. With pressure on public institutions rising, and trust in them declining (as per the much-lauded Edelman Trust barometer), investing in purpose-built governance technology is no longer optional. If clean audits, better service delivery and public sector leadership that’s effective is of importance to you, then you probably require a modern governance system that supports that bold vision. Read more about how South Africa’s public sector is intelligently approaching this shiftgovernance systemsRisk and ComplianceGRCLexisNexishttps://www.lexisnexis.com/blogs/za/b/-ai/posts/a-new-type-of-ai-powered-law-firm-is-emergingThu, 27 Nov 2025 08:35:00 GMT70e9d49d-698d-4e02-a4a2-27e38d3f49b5:2eb33b70-1489-45f9-994a-9148182bbf09Zander KilianThe insight is simple and clear; fast-moving companies need access to the right legal contracts, agreements and documents in a hurry. Spotting this need as a challenge to design a new kind of law firm that is able to move as fast as Silicon Valley, co-founders Ryan Daniels and John Sarihan created Crosby, a hybrid AI law firm based in New York City that has now raised $5.8m in a seed funding round led by Sequoia Capital. At the heart of it, Crosby is a hybrid law firm that operationally combines the skills of talented lawyers with gifted engineers that is purpose-built to offer the best legal guidance at lightning-fast response times. Rather than trying to plug-in AI workflow solutions onto an existing law firm or trying to develop a standalone software solution, Crosby has been designed to produce trustworthy legal outcomes – particularly focused on contracts - by leveraging talented lawyers working in tandem with agentic AI technology. The Crosby strategy As reported by StartupHub : ‘Crosby’s core philosophy hinges on the belief that the most effective way to automate human negotiations, especially for contracts like leases, offer letters, and business agreements, is by deeply integrating AI within the operational structure of a law firm itself. This model allows for an unparalleled synergy between legal expertise and technological innovation. A central tenet of Crosby’s strategy is the creation of unique feedback loops, a distinct advantage over traditional legal software providers. John elaborates: “having your domain experts sit side-by-side with your engineers creates such a unique feedback loop, where it’s more than just evals, it’s actually using the product, experiencing it, doing user research, and understanding what are the critical workflows, what are the biggest gaps.” This direct, iterative collaboration allows for rapid product improvement and a deeper understanding of real-world legal challenges.’ Deal volume rather than billable hours Rather than billing clients by the hour, Crosby charges clients by the document and achieves contract turnaround times under an hour. They are able to predictably achieve this by using probability frameworks to accurately determine how long a piece of legal work is estimated to take. The incentive for Crosby is to try to maximise volume and deal velocity, which aligns well with what their clients value – affordability, predictability and the speeding up of negotiations. Using AI to predict contract negotiation bottlenecks With a laser-focus on efficiency the firm uses AI to predict which terms are critical to negotiate and which can be conceded, thereby reducing the number of back-and-forth exchanges required to close a deal. According to the founders; ‘a thoughtful AI-generated explanation for a change can significantly reduce back-and-forth negotiations between parties. Crosby’s vision of the future of law? In an interview recorded by Sequoia Capital , Crosby’s founders share their perspective on how technology will change the legal profession in the future: Automating the Underserved Market: The most significant impact of legal automation will occur not in corporate law, but in the "huge tail" of legal services for individuals (e.g., leases, child support). This market is currently "horribly underserved," and AI will enable "net new market creation" because "the alternative is nothing." The "Golden Age" for Lawyers: AI will provide immense leverage, transforming the legal profession. A lawyer's output could increase from reviewing two contracts an hour to 500. According to them ‘ the most prized skill will be the ability to harness AI effectively ’. The Future of Negotiation: The ultimate goal is to enable a system where agents, armed with each party's preferences and risk tolerances, can simulate negotiations. This would produce an auditable record of the negotiation and transform an adversarial process into a collaborative one aimed at finding agreement faster. Advice to Law Students: "Question everything," including the dogma of legal education, but balance it with an appreciation for the field's foundational brilliance. The most critical future skill to develop is learning how to prompt and leverage AI. The way that legal services get delivered is changing rapidly. Innovation is serving as a powerful catalyst to help in-house legal teams and law firms completely reimagine how they might offer value in the future. These are exciting and creative times and no doubt a lot of new legal ventures like Crosby will emerge as a result.https://www.lexisnexis.com/blogs/za/b/legal/posts/trusted-intelligence-a-new-brand-campaign-from-lexisnexis-south-africaThu, 27 Nov 2025 06:54:00 GMT70e9d49d-698d-4e02-a4a2-27e38d3f49b5:b8996b65-f564-44f2-a00a-835ff02aba23Zander KilianLexisNexis South Africa has launched a bold new brand campaign speaking directly to senior decision-makers who need trustworthy solutions in an era of accelerating complexity. The 'Trusted Intelligence' campaign positions LexisNexis as the partner trusted by legal, risk, and compliance leaders to unlock a competitive edge through accuracy, governance, and speed. In today’s fast-moving business environment, compliance, governance and decision-making demand more than data. They demand intelligence you can trust. Our new brand campaign celebrates the outcomes that LexisNexis makes possible for its clients across South Africa and beyond: outcomes like stronger compliance, smarter scale, safer decisions and a sustained competitive edge. These are visually summarised in a striking series of paired headlines: Performance → Outperformance Artificial Intelligence → Trusted Intelligence Risky business → Good business Complexity → Compliance Start-up → Leader Business intelligence → Trusted intelligence Each of these simple ideas illustrates the transformational business journeys our clients take with us, whether they are corporate giants navigating regulation, or high-growth disruptors scaling swiftly into a category. The thinking behind the work This campaign is built on a deep appreciation of the complex challenges facing today’s legal, risk and compliance leaders. In an environment of regulatory uncertainty, digital disruption and rising stakeholder expectations, the value of defensible, strategic decision-making has never been greater. LexisNexis delivers this reliability through the power of Trusted Intelligence: the combination of authoritative legal content, responsible AI, and workflow technology that empowers professionals to act with clarity, speed and confidence. From whistleblower risk to ESG-era shareholder activism, and from global governance convergence to AI oversight, LexisNexis provides the insight and infrastructure to stay ahead. Where you’ll see the campaign The Trusted Intelligence campaign is currently rolling out via targeted digital, email and out-of-home media placements, including high-profile spaces in Sandton and O.R. Tambo International Airport. It also features across our client communications as a message of thanks and collaborative progress, celebrating how our work together advances the rule of law across the African continent. Join the conversation If you’ve seen a line that resonated, a headline that challenged you or an idea that sparked your thinking, we’d love to hear about it. Trusted Intelligence is more than a campaign; it’s a commitment to helping leaders lead, safely and smartly.LexisNexishttps://www.lexisnexis.com/blogs/za/b/ai/posts/closing-the-gaps-in-estate-administrationMon, 03 Nov 2025 09:29:00 GMT70e9d49d-698d-4e02-a4a2-27e38d3f49b5:17d4b836-110f-4e46-a39e-acaed053fbe4Kirshen ChettyHow LexisNexis Leads the Digital Shift with New Features and Integrations Estate administration in South Africa has long been a complex, paper-intensive process. Legal practitioners, estate administrators, and banks handling deceased estates often juggle multiple systems for property searches, client communication, and compliance checks. This fragmented approach slows down the administration process and increases the risk of errors. LexisNexis South Africa is changing this landscape through digital transformation. The Lexis® Deceased Estates platform has introduced new web-based integrations – including links with Lexis® Convey, Lexis® WinDeed, and Lexis® Secure – to unify and streamline the entire deceased estate process. These enhancements create a single integrated ecosystem for estate administration, boosting efficiency, accuracy, and transparency for professionals and their clients. Key highlights of the enhanced platform include : Fully Digital & Web-Based: The platform is cloud-based and accessible anywhere, anytime through a web browser – no software installation or paperwork needed. This means you can work on estate files in the office, at court, or from home with equal ease. Integrated Ecosystem : One platform connects all tasks. Property transfer workflows, asset and liability searches, and client communications are now interlinked within Lexis Deceased Estates. Practitioners no longer have to capture information in various different applications. Greater Efficiency & Accuracy: By eliminating duplicate data entry and automating calculations, the platform reduces human error and saves time. Information entered once (like a property detail or an asset value) flows through to all relevant processes, ensuring consistency and speeding up estate wind-ups. Enhanced Transparency & Security: Real-time milestone tracking let practitioners and stakeholders monitor progress on an estate. Meanwhile, encrypted communication via Lexis SecureChat replaces email for sensitive discussions, protecting confidential information and creating an audit trail for accountability. Meeting the Challenges of Modern Estate Administration Deceased estate administration has long been riddled with bottlenecks. Gathering asset information, managing paperwork, communicating with heirs, and complying with Master’s Office requirements traditionally meant using separate tools for each task. For example, an executor might use one system for drafting documents, another for property searches, and numerous emails for updates. This siloed approach led to repeated data entry, delays waiting on information, and potential oversights if something fell through the cracks. The Lexis Deceased Estates platform directly addresses these pain points. It serves as a unified digital workspace that covers the end-to-end estate administration workflow – from initial reporting of the estate to finalizing the Liquidation and Distribution Account. By centralizing tasks, the platform reduces duplication of effort and minimizes errors, all while keeping every step aligned with legal requirements. The latest feature enhancements take this a step further, closing the gaps by integrating external processes (like conveyancing and asset and liability searches) into the platform. The result is a smoother process that allows practitioners to focus on serving clients rather than managing multiple systems. New Features and Integrations Driving the Digital Shift LexisNexis has rolled out several key new features this year, in the Deceased Estates platform, each aimed at modernizing the estate administration process. Here’s a closer look at these integrations and how they improve day-to-day workflows: Seamless Property Transfers with Lexis® Convey What’s new: Lexis Deceased Estates now integrates with Lexis® Convey, the leading conveyancing software for property transfers. How it works: When you record a property in a deceased estate matter, you can send those details directly to Lexis Convey with a click. All the information – property description, title deed number, heir details, etc. – flows automatically into the conveyancing system. Why it helps: This eliminates manual re-entry of property data into separate software. By sharing data between the estate file and conveyancing workflow, transferring a property to an heir becomes faster and less error prone. Practitioners save time and ensure that the property transfer part of winding up the estate is handled efficiently and accurately, without typing mistakes that could cause delays. Instant Asset Searches with Lexis® WinDeed What’s new: The platform now features a built-in link to Lexis® WinDeed, South Africa’s go-to service for bank account, home affairs, property, person, and vehicle searches, as well as credit bureau checks. How it works : From within an estate, an administrator can launch WinDeed queries to verify property ownership, search for other assets or liabilities, and pull data from Deeds Office records and credit bureaus – all without leaving the Lexis Deceased Estates platform. Why it helps: By conducting these searches internally, administrators can quickly uncover all assets and debts that belong to the deceased estate. For example, if you need to confirm if the deceased owned any other properties or bank accounts, you can do it in-platform. This integration ensures nothing is overlooked when inventorying the estate, and it saves the step of logging into a separate system. Early discovery of assets and liabilities means the estate can be administered more completely and with fewer surprises down the line. Secure and Protected Communication with Lexis® Secure (SecureChat) What’s new: Lexis Deceased Estates now includes Lexis® SecureChat, an encrypted messaging and document-sharing feature from the Lexis Secure suite. How it works: Within each estate file, you can use SecureChat to send messages or share files with beneficiaries, and other stakeholders (like attorneys) on that estate. All communication is encrypted and stored. Why it helps: Estate matters involve sensitive personal and financial information. Using ordinary email for corresponding with heirs or co-executors risks data breaches or lost threads. SecureChat provides a secure, auditable channel for these communications. Every message and file exchange is protected and tied to the estate. This means greater security (no chance of outside interception) and clear record-keeping of what was communicated, when, and to whom. It replaces scattered email trails with one reliable conversation stream, which is particularly useful for keeping everyone on the same page and for protecting client confidentiality. Foreign Currency Conversion Tool What’s new: A Foreign Currency Conversion feature is now available directly in the platform for estates that include assets valued in other currencies. How it works: If an estate has, say, a bank account in US dollars or a stock portfolio in Euros, you can enter the foreign amount into the conversion tool. Select the relevant date (for example, date of death or date of distribution) and the currency, and the tool will convert the value into South African Rand using official exchange rates for that date. Why it helps: Globalisation means many estates have overseas components. Previously, executors had to manually look up exchange rates and calculate conversions for the Liquidation and Distribution (L&D) account – a process prone to mistakes. Now, the built-in converter ensures accurate and compliant valuations of foreign assets in the L&D account. It saves time and removes the guesswork from currency conversion, helping practitioners confidently handle multi-currency estates. Building on a Strong Foundation These new enhancements are built atop Lexis Deceased Estates’ already strong feature foundation. Even before the latest update, the platform offered numerous tools that simplified estate administration: Cloud-Based Access: As a web-based program, Lexis Deceased Estates is accessible from any device with an internet connection. Practitioners can log in from the office, home, or court, without any special software installations. This makes collaboration and remote work much easier. Automated Document Generation : The platform can auto-generate all the necessary forms and reports required by the Master’s Office in minutes. For example, reporting documents, death notices, inventories, and liquidation & distribution accounts can be produced using pre-formatted templates, saving hours of paperwork. Compliance Checklists: It provides step-by-step checklists for the estate process. These built-in guides ensure that no critical steps or filings (like publishing notices or obtaining tax clearances) are overlooked. This reduces the risk of non-compliance and associated delays. Asset & Liability Management: Users can capture and categorize all assets and liabilities of the estate (properties, bank accounts, investments, debts, etc.) in one place. The system helps keep track of these, and even reconcile values when needed, giving a clear financial picture of the estate at any time. Smart L&D Account Calculations: The platform applies automated rules for calculating the Liquidation and Distribution account. It handles the arithmetic of asset values, expenses, fees, and distribution to heirs, ensuring the final accounts balance without. Milestone Tracking: Tracks the progress of each estate matter – from initial appointment of executor to final distribution. This milestone view lets practitioners and even clients (if given access) see exactly what stage the estate is at and what tasks remain. Executor & Beneficiary Management : The system has dedicated sections to record details of executors, heirs, and their respective entitlements. This makes it simple to manage who gets what, and to generate distribution schedules or receipts for beneficiaries. Secure Document Storage: All documents related to the estate (wills, death certificates, correspondence, etc.) can be uploaded to the platform’s secure cloud storage. This means an end to rifling through filing cabinets – any document can be retrieved with a quick search in the digital file. Audit Trails & Reporting: Every action taken on the estate file (editing an entry, sending a message, generating a document) is logged. This audit trail provides accountability and makes it easy to review the case’s history or to generate status reports for clients or supervisors. Task & Milestone Reminders: Automated reminders alert the user of upcoming deadlines (e.g., filing a preliminary inventory within 14 days, or anniversary of appointments). This task system helps practitioners stay on top of all obligations without relying on memory or external calendars. By bringing these capabilities together, Lexis Deceased Estates has, from the start, provided an end-to-end solution. The new integrations simply extend that solution to cover even more aspects of the work, reinforcing the platform’s position as a one-stop hub for estate administration. Why These Updates Matter This upgrade isn’t just a software patch; it represents a paradigm shift in how professionals handle deceased estates. By integrating conveyancing, search and verification, and communication tools into one platform, LexisNexis is acknowledging that practitioners work across many areas and need them to work in harmony. In the past, estate administration was all about managing separate parts : you had to be an impromptu project manager, ensuring the conveyancer did their part, checking that all assets were found, and constantly updating beneficiaries. Now, the Lexis Deceased Estates platform serves as a command centre for all these parts. For practitioners, the updates mean: Less administrative drag: Many formerly manual or repetitive tasks are automated or integrated, giving you more time to focus on complex issues that require your expertise. Fewer errors: Integration means data only needs entry once and all calculations (like those in L&D accounts or currency conversion) are handled by the system. This significantly lowers the chance of mistakes that could require rework or lead to compliance issues. Greater confidence and compliance: With built-in reminders, audit trails, and secure communication, you can be confident that you’re meeting all legal obligations and keeping an incontrovertible record of actions and decisions. This is beneficial not just for peace of mind, but in the event of any audits or disputes, you have everything documented. Better client service: You can respond to client queries faster (since information is at your fingertips), provide updates more proactively, and close estates quicker, all of which improve client satisfaction and trust in your services. For clients the benefits are also tangible : Transparency: They get clearer insights into the process. With regular SecureChat communications and possibly shared milestone tracking, they aren’t left in the dark about the estate’s status. This transparency builds trust. Speed: Faster administration means heirs receive their inheritances sooner and executors can conclude their duties in a more reasonable timeframe. This can bring closure and financial resolution quicker. Security: Knowing that their personal information ,and that of the deceased, is handled securely and not being sent around on email provides peace of mind. Especially for banks involved as executors or custodians, the encryption and audit trail are critical for their compliance and risk management. Accuracy: Beneficiaries can be confident that the distribution calculations are correct and that no assets have been missed, thanks to the rigorous search and accounting tools. This reduces the likelihood of disputes or corrections after distribution. A product owner at LexisNexis South Africa put it this way: “By integrating Convey, WinDeed, and Secure directly into the Deceased Estates platform, we’ve created an ecosystem that mirrors how practitioners actually work. This is not just about efficiency — it’s about building trust through accuracy, transparency, and security.” In essence, the technology is aligning with real-world needs and workflows, not forcing users to adapt to the software. Embracing a Digital Future in Estate Administration With these enhancements, Lexis Deceased Estates has solidified its position as South Africa’s most comprehensive estate administration platform. It showcases what the future of legal practice can look like in this field: fully digital, integrated, and client-centred. The concept of an “ecosystem” is key. Just as we’ve seen in other professions, having all tools under one roof leads to exponential improvements in how work gets done. For deceased estate administration, this means one secure web-based environment where every piece of the puzzle is connected. Practitioners who adopt this approach are effectively stepping into the future of estate administration – one where mundane tasks are minimized and oversight is maximized. By moving away from siloed systems and embracing an all-in-one solution, professionals can handle higher volumes of cases or simply handle their current caseload with less stress and overtime. They can devote more energy to advising clients, planning complex estates, or expanding their practice, knowing that the busywork is largely automated. The digital shift also aligns with broader trends in the legal industry. Clients today expect faster service and greater transparency – and they’re more comfortable than ever with online solutions. Lexis Deceased Estates delivers on these expectations, giving law firms and banks a competitive edge in service delivery. It shows clients that you’re using cutting-edge tools to serve their needs and that their matter is being handled efficiently. In conclusion, LexisNexis’s new integrations and features truly close the traditional gaps in estate administration. They create a smooth, efficient process where all stakeholders – from the attorney to the heir – benefit from improved speed, clarity, and security. This is more than just a software update; it’s a step toward the digital transformation of estate administration in South Africa. By embracing this integrated, web-based ecosystem, practitioners position themselves to work smarter, reduce errors, and provide superior service during a time when compassion and competence matter most.conveyancinghttps://www.lexisnexis.com/blogs/za/b/press-releases/posts/the-silent-warfare-of-chips-and-tariffsMon, 06 Oct 2025 08:09:00 GMT70e9d49d-698d-4e02-a4a2-27e38d3f49b5:b711d14e-303a-4492-b6f4-d5b135982a8cKirshen ChettyIt began with a diplomatic snub. Earlier this year, South Africa ordered Taiwan to move its Liaison office out of Pretoria and downgrade its status to a commercial mission in Johannesburg. For Pretoria, it was a symbolic gesture of alignment with Beijing’s “One China” policy and with China as its powerful BRICS counterpart. For Taipei, it was a public humiliation. Taiwan retaliated swiftly, announcing on 23 rd September that most chip exports to South Africa would, from November 2025, require government approval. These are not ordinary goods. Chips have been described by writers like Christopher Miller as the “new oil”. “Semiconductors may be to the 21 st century, what oil was to the 20 th” , wrote Larry Summers. In the last century, oil shaped economies, influenced wars and touched daily lives; today semiconductors play a similar role. They underpin everything from AI and smartphones to robotic toys and smart weapons, and Taiwan’s dominance gives it leverage few others can match. It is estimated that Taiwan produces over 60% of all semiconductors globally and more than 90% of the most advanced chips. The restrictions were suspended almost as quickly as they were announced - South Africa sought consultations and Taiwan weighed the reputational risk of being seen as an unreliable supplier. But the incident left its mark, showing how trade in strategic goods can be weaponised in an instant. Nations have long used trade to exert pressure. Napoleon’s Continental System tried to strangle Britain’s economy by blocking its access to European markets. OPEC’s oil embargo in the 1970s reshaped global politics, sent prices soaring and left drivers queuing for hours at petrol stations. The same dynamic is now playing out on a much larger scale. In Washington, tariffs have become the default tool of trade policy, with new duties on electric vehicles, solar panels, batteries and other green technologies making daily headlines. Tariffs are no longer limited to China: most trading partners have felt the sting, South Africa among them, with US tariffs on steel and aluminium adding cost and uncertainty for local producers. What began as Trump-era bluster has hardened into policy. In the last 24 hours, Washington has imposed new tariffs on lumber and furniture, all while demanding that Canada, a major lumber exporter, accept quotas on steel and aluminium and open its protected dairy market to US producers. The transactional nature of tariffs is also evident in the pressure being brought on Mexico to tighten migration controls and on the countries like Eswatini, Liberia and Sierra Leone to accept the relocation of foreign criminals as a price of maintaining trade preferences. Tariffs, like chips, have become instruments of silent warfare. Chips and tariffs differ in their mechanics. Export licences target specific goods at source. Tariffs, on the other hand, strike at a country’s borders and sweep across entire categories of goods. Both disrupt the flow of critical goods, distort markets and create leverage. Each carries a dual edge. They can inflict pain on a target country, but they also invite retaliation or reputational damage. If Taiwan makes chip exports a matter of politics, customers may look to other suppliers like Korea. If the US leans too heavily in favour of tariffs, it risks undermining the global trade on which much of its prosperity has been built. The line between legitimate regulation and economic coercion is increasingly blurred. This silent warfare over chips and tariffs is not just about economics. It is about governance: how nations exercise power, how companies manage risk, and how supply chains have become the front line of global politics. These are some of the pressures I explore in my new book on corporate governance (to be published by LexisNexis in November 2025), which examines how boards and executives can navigate an environment where regulation, politics and commerce are increasingly inseparable Abstract: The silent warfare of trade is no longer waged behind closed doors — it is playing out in chips, tariffs and supply chains. South Africa’s recent diplomatic spat with Taiwan showed how semiconductors - the “new oil” - can be turned into leverage overnight. Meanwhile, the US’s tariff campaign has gathered pace. with fresh duties on lumber and furniture and demands that Canada, Mexico and even small African states make political concessions as the price of trade. What appears to be routine policy is, in fact, a contest of power. I explore this in my new piece, The Silent Warfare of Chips and Tariffs , which also previews some of the pressures examined further in my forthcoming book on corporate governance (LexisNexis, November 2025).https://www.lexisnexis.com/blogs/za/b/-ai/posts/lexisnexis-protegeTue, 30 Sep 2025 11:33:00 GMT70e9d49d-698d-4e02-a4a2-27e38d3f49b5:51ae4c94-baa6-40f8-b18e-6a133b8c197cZander KilianWhat is Protege? Few innovations are set to shape the future of law and legal practice as profoundly as agentic AI technology. Put simply, agentic AI is a class of artificial intelligence tools that can autonomously perform tasks and solve complex problems, much like a junior associate. Unlike a new recruit, however, a purpose-built, reputable AI assistant is available 24/7, delivers consistent performance, and can replicate the unique style and workflow of the legal mind it supports. In essence, this is what LexisNexis Protégé represents: a legal copilot that knows your work and works your way. But Protégé is not just another legal tech feature, it’s an operational leap forward that has the potential to transform the recognised legal playbook in South Africa. What does it do? Protégé excels at summarising documents: including complaints, decisions, settlement agreements, legislation and credit agreements. Its usefulness also includes creating summaries that mirror the style and structure of lawyer-drafted documents, as well as simplifying complex legal content into plain language, helping firms prepare clear, client-ready documents without the legalese. The benefits extend beyond efficiency. Protégé reduces the time spent on research and eliminates the often painstaking task of compiling legal documents. This frees practitioners to focus on higher-value, strategic work while also improving turnaround times for clients. A thinking partner Law can be a mentally isolating profession. Protégé helps close that gap by serving as an ever-available ideation partner. Even seasoned practitioners can use Protégé to test ideas, spark new approaches, and explore alternative strategies. While this creative enablement is harder to quantify, it may prove to be one of Protégé’s most transformative contributions, positioning strategically minded firms ahead of their competition. Built into workflows On a technical level, Protégé integrates seamlessly with leading Document Management Systems such as iManage and SharePoint. This allows legal teams to extract clauses, search firm-wide knowledge bases, and generate content from internal precedents — all without leaving the tools they already rely on. An eye on the future The emerging consensus is that many of the routine tasks handled by legal practitioners will soon be carried out, partly or entirely, by machines. This shift gives legal professionals both the opportunity and the responsibility to rethink their roles, moving away from repetitive work and focusing more on strategy, judgement, and client value. As AI becomes embedded in practice, the everyday life of a lawyer will look very different from what it has been in the past. Protégé brings this future into the present. By combining LexisNexis’ trusted intelligence with AI that adapts to the way you work, it is helping South African legal practitioners cut through routine, communicate more clearly with clients, and make better use of the knowledge within their firms. That’s the difference Protégé is designed to deliver. Speak to a LexisNexis consultant about how Protégé can work for your business. Request a demoProtégéLexisNexis ProtégéLexisNexis