Marisa Monteiro Borsboom is a trailblazing legal professional with a career spanning over 20 years. Approved with distinction, at the Portuguese Bar Association in 2007, Marisa ventured into law, and in 2010 she established her own first legal practice in Porto, showcasing her entrepreneurial spirit.

In 2012 Marisa relocated to the Netherlands and embarked on a prolific and multidisciplinary career. Notably, she founded MQM Legal Center in 2016, a legal center for the 21^st century, focusing on legal innovation and technology. She co-founded Inova@Legal, an institute for legal and technological innovation in Portuguese, and she is a founding member of the Dutch Legal Design Lab.

Beyond her legal endeavors, Marisa actively engages in international organizations, holding leadership roles and contributing to various projects. Marisa is a distinguished member of the European Legal Tech Association, where she serves as Vice President since December 2022. Her commitment to innovation is evident through initiatives such as the first legal innovation symposium in Portugal, held in 2019, and her role as an ambassador and director of the Portuguese chapter at ELTA. Notably, Marisa curated the “Legal Talks 21” series, collaborating with Inova@Legal and Legal Hackers Porto, bringing industry leaders to the forefront. She was also the founder of The Hague chapter for that organisation and still co-coordinates it.

Her extensive contributions extend to the bestselling publication “Advocacia 4.0” in Brazil, cementing her legacy as a forward-thinking legal professional dedicated to advocacy, entrepreneurship, education, and humanization.

She is a certified trainer, providing practical courses to life learning programs, and was a guest lecturer for The Hague University of Applied Sciences. She is a frequent speaker at international conferences, being in the front row of emergent technologies and societal challenges. As a founding partner of APLT – The Association for Portuguese Legal Tech and the founder of LxLegal Conference, she was one of the first people to really push for the widespread discussion and adoption of legal tech in Portugal.

Pedro Tavares is a expert in digital transformation and innovation, with extensive experience across the public, private, and academic sectors. Currently, he serves as a Senior Digital Governance and Policy Advisor, collaborating with governments and international organizations to advance digital policy and governance frameworks focused on citizen-centered solutions and sustainable innovation. He is a member of the United Nations University AI Global Network, where he contributes his expertise to the development of global AI policies.

Until April 2024, Pedro was the Portuguese Secretary of State for Justice, where he led a comprehensive digital modernization of the justice sector. Under his leadership, Portugal launched Europe’s first Govtech program for Justice, supporting innovation through a fast-paced digital transformation plan in close collaboration with the private sector and academia. A cornerstone of his approach was improving access to justice through innovation, including the strategic use of AI for efficiency gains and a user-specific, citizen-centric approach. His initiatives included substantial investment in skilling and upskilling justice professionals, contributing to a 20% reduction in pending cases, streamlined services for citizens and companies, and enhanced efficiency and transparency through clear communication strategies.

Previously, Pedro served as General Coordinator at eBUPi (Simplified Land Digital Registry Mission Unit), where he led a nationally transformative project in digital land management that used advanced technology, including predictive algorithms and satellite imagery, to map and register Portuguese land. Internationally recognized by the OECD, eBUPi is a model for sustainable land management and policy development.

In earlier roles, he served as an advisor on innovation for the Ministry of Justice, where he managed various transformation projects, including the Justice Innovation Lab. He also contributed to pioneering public innovation initiatives such as the Single ID Card (including e-ID), Citizen One-Stop Shops 2.0, and central government digital services.

His experience extends to leadership roles in several technology companies and consulting firms and a startup that he founded. Pedro has taught at multiple universities and institutions. He holds a master’s degree in Digital Media from Universidade Nova de Lisboa, a postgraduate degree in eBusiness from the Lisbon School of Economics and Management, and a bachelor’s degree in Communication Sciences from Universidade Nova de Lisboa.