From human rights to M&A

“I initially wanted to be a lawyer because of public international law and human rights,” says Ava. “But I soon realised that in those areas, lawyers often come in too late, after the damage is done. I wanted to understand the root causes of global problems, and many of them, to me, came from capital markets and corporations.”

That realization led her into corporate law, and eventually M&A. “It might sound like a strange journey,” she laughs, “but working in M&A gave me insight into how corporations actually work, from Europe to the Middle East and Africa. It helped me understand the system from within.”

The shift from law to building things

That insider view sparked something new. “Seeing how the corporate world operated made me want to build things myself,” she says. “At that stage of my career, I knew it was too early to prevent the bigger problems I cared about. But I could gain experience on the entrepreneurial side.”

Her curiosity led her to legal tech start-ups such as Bryter, where, besides working on tech adoption at law firms, she focused on projects aimed at improving access to justice. “I wanted to see if technology could actually make a difference. Could it help people in a meaningful way? That’s what drew me in.”

After several years in the start-up world, she wanted to push transformation from within the legal establishment. “I realised that on the vendor side, I couldn’t influence the market as much as I wanted to. So I approached GvW and proposed creating a role that didn’t exist yet: Head of Legal Tech. That’s how I joined the firm.”

Taking change step by step

At GvW, Ava now focuses on aligning technological progress with human progress. “You can’t transform a firm overnight,” she explains. “You have to take it step by step, both in terms of the technology’s maturity and people’s readiness to use it. I call it the crystallisation process. Things have to crystallise gradually.”

She’s optimistic about what’s ahead. “AI is already changing all practice areas. It means lawyers can spend more time on interesting, high-value work instead of repetitive, manual tasks. I remember the days of reviewing hundreds of documents per transaction as an M&A lawyer, so I’m genuinely happy the next generation won’t have to go through that.”

Lessons from an international career

Having practised across several jurisdictions, Ava has a unique view of how different legal systems shape lawyers. “Lawyers tend to stay within their frameworks and the professional boxes they’re given. And in my view, that needs to change.”

She believes that in the era of AI, thinking beyond the framework isn’t just useful, it’s essential. “Of course, we shouldn’t break rules. But we should make the most of what’s outside the box. Across jurisdictions, I’ve seen a fear of stepping outside boundaries. We have to start seeing it as a positive.”

“Germany can be cautious, partly because lawyers here are comfortable and well-protected within the system. That makes innovation slower, but it’s also what makes change so interesting here.”

Looking forward

Asked whether any project stands out in her journey, Ava pauses. “Honestly, I’m still looking forward, not back. We haven’t achieved enough yet. I’m always thinking that we can do more, and we can do better.”

Her ultimate vision goes beyond corporate legal tech. “What I’d love to see is AI and legal tech playing a real role in global justice, not just access to justice for consumers, but technology that can help address the world’s biggest legal and human challenges.”

Until then? “We keep pushing,” she says simply. “Because we’re nowhere near done yet.”