INTERVIEW: AuxBrief launch proof that South African Bar is making major strides locally and globally – Rose-Marie van den Bogert

In an era where the legal profession wrestles with inefficiency, inequality, and outdated systems, a bold innovation is emerging from South Africa that could change the face of justice forever. AuxBrief, developed by Auxcon after 15 years of engagement with attorneys, advocates, and clients, promises to digitize one of the most critical yet burdensome aspects of legal practice: briefing.

But this isn’t just another tech project. AuxBrief has already won the trust of the General Council of the Bar, secured adoption by leading firms such as Vezi de Beer Inc., and gained corporate backing from institutions like Standard Bank. On launch day, Johannesburg’s advocates will work on the first live digital briefs, marking a historic turning point for the profession.

Critics argue that legal tech often struggles with adoption, that confidentiality is too sacred to risk digitization, and that transformation in the Bar requires more than software. Yet, AuxBrief’s champions insist it is built differently: with transparency, equity, and accessibility hardwired into its design. From ensuring junior and historically disadvantaged advocates are included in briefs, to making legal costs clearer for clients, to strengthening the attorney–advocate relationship, AuxBrief is positioning itself not just as an efficiency tool, but as a transformational force for justice.

In this exclusive interview with CrispNG, Rose-Marie van den Bogert, Auxcon’s founder and managing director, unpacks the vision, safeguards, and real-world impact of AuxBrief. She also explores how the South African-born platform can redefine the future of law at home — and potentially across the globe.

Many see AuxBrief as revolutionary, but legal tech projects often struggle with adoption. How will you ensure attorneys and advocates truly embrace this system rather than revert to traditional methods?

AuxBrief is the product of 15 years of listening to the lived realities of attorneys, advocates, and clients. It was created by the legal profession, for the legal profession — to resolve what we all know is broken: delayed payments, inequitable briefing, administrative burden, and a lack of transparency.

On launch day, Vezi de Beer Inc. will be the first firm to issue a digital brief, Johannesburg’s advocates will be the first to work through it, and a leading bank’s matter will run live on the system. With the General Council of the Bar already backing Auxcon’s work, the profession’s trust is firmly established.

In truth, it is now riskier not to adopt AuxBrief. To cling to outdated methods is to entrench inefficiency and inequity. AuxBrief makes briefing faster, fairer, and lighter. It will make everyone’s work easier — which is why its adoption is not merely probable, but inevitable.

In a nutshell

Backed by 15 years of research and the General Council of the Bar, AuxBrief launches with a leading bank’s first live matter, Vezi de Beer Inc. as the first issuing firm, and Johannesburg’s advocates as the first to use it — proof that adoption is inevitable.

Legal briefs contain highly sensitive client information. How is AuxBrief addressing data security, privacy, and cyber-risks in a time when legal confidentiality is paramount?

From day one, AuxBrief was built with confidentiality at its core. Auxcon has spent 15 years earning the trust of the legal fraternity, and that trust rests on the highest standards of privacy and security.

On launch, attorneys and advocates can work with full confidence that briefs are protected by enterprise-grade safeguards, developed in partnership with leading technology experts. This is not theory — it is the same rigour Auxcon has already applied successfully across the profession.

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In truth, the greater risk lies in remaining with paper-heavy, insecure systems. AuxBrief ensures that sensitive information is protected, briefing is seamless, and the profession can embrace innovation without compromising its duty of confidentiality.

In a nutshell

AuxBrief is built on enterprise-grade security, developed with leading technology partners, and trusted by the legal fraternity through Auxcon’s 15-year track record of safeguarding sensitive information.

Some fear that digitization can depersonalize the attorney–advocate relationship. How will AuxBrief maintain the human trust and nuance needed in legal practice?

The attorney–advocate relationship has always been deeply personal, built on trust, performance, and a shared duty to the client. AuxBrief does not change that. What it changes is the admin and paperwork that have weighed the relationship down for decades.

Auxcon has already proven this. Nearly 15 years ago, we entered the most sensitive part of the attorney–advocate relationship: managing advocate payments. Many feared that introducing a third party would erode trust. Instead, by living our values of fairness, transparency, and integrity, we earned the confidence of the profession and showed that technology can strengthen human connection. AuxBrief builds directly on that foundation. On launch, Johannesburg’s advocates will be the first to use the system, and Vezi de Beer Inc. will be the first firm to issue a live digital brief. This is not about removing relationships — it is about making them lighter, faster, and more transparent.

In truth, AuxBrief expands opportunities for connection. Attorneys gain access to a wider pool of advocates, including juniors who might otherwise remain unseen. Yet the relationship itself still depends on performance, reliability, and excellence — the qualities that define the profession. Technology opens the door, but human trust remains at the centre, stronger than ever.

In a nutshell

The relationship between client and attorney, and attorney and advocate, will always remain personal and built on ability — AuxBrief simply streamlines the paperwork side. In reality, it also creates more opportunities for connection.

You’ve positioned AuxBrief as a tool for equitable briefing. But what safeguards are in place to prevent powerful firms from gaming the system or excluding juniors despite the platform’s design?

AuxBrief was never about technology alone — it began as a vision of collaboration. Under Adv. Mahlape Sello SC and Adv. Tiny Seboko SC’s leadership at the JSA, the urgent need to open doors for juniors brought together Standard Bank, Vezi de Beer Inc., and Auxcon. With the General Council of the Bar mandating Auxcon to connect all 14 Bar Societies nationally, the foundation for trust was firmly in place.

On launch day, that vision becomes practice. A client such as Standard Bank can set briefing parameters — for example, requiring that juniors, women, or historically disadvantaged advocates be included. Attorneys then issue the brief with those specifications, and the system identifies available advocates who meet them. This ensures that transformation commitments are not just words on paper but are actioned and tracked in real time. The safeguards sit in the design: transparency, parameters that must be met, and oversight from the Bar and clients themselves.

In truth, technology alone cannot transform the profession. But when attorneys, corporates, and Bar leadership all commit to shared responsibility, and the system enforces the parameters they set, equitable briefing moves from aspiration to reality. AuxBrief makes that visible, enforceable, and impossible to ignore.”

In a nutshell

AuxBrief hardwires equity into the process — clients can set transformation parameters, attorneys issue briefs against those requirements, and the system ensures only advocates who meet them are matched.

Transformation in the South African Bar has been a long, uphill battle. In what ways will AuxBrief measure whether disadvantaged advocates are truly benefiting — beyond just promises?

Transformation at the Bar has been a long journey — and progress has been real. The advocates being admitted today already reflect the transformed profile of South Africa. The next test is ensuring that those juniors, particularly disadvantaged advocates in their early years, gain the opportunities and support to build sustainable careers.

AuxBrief provides proof, not promises. Every interaction generates data — which briefs are offered, who receives them, at what stage of their career, and with what outcomes. This transparent record allows Bar Societies, corporates, government, and attorneys to track whether commitments are reaching juniors in practice. Transformation becomes visible, measurable, and enforceable.

The launch of AuxBrief is itself proof of leadership. By embedding equity and accountability into briefing, the South African Bar is not only advancing its own transformation but setting a precedent globally. In truth, transformation is measured not just in numbers but in outcomes: juniors gaining work, growing practices, and one day leading the Bar themselves. AuxBrief makes that progress clear for all to see.

In a nutshell

The launch of AuxBrief is in itself proof that the South African Bar is not just making major strides in local transformation, but creating a new precedent globally — with data making real progress for disadvantaged juniors visible and measurable.

What happens if clients or attorneys resist transformation clauses within briefs? Will AuxBrief enforce compliance or leave it as a guideline?

AuxBrief was never built to police attorneys or clients. Transformation at the Bar is already visible in admission — the profession reflects South Africa’s diversity. The challenge now is ensuring that juniors grow into sustainable practices and future leadership. That cannot be achieved by enforcement alone; it requires trust, mentorship, and collaboration.

What AuxBrief does is create the framework that makes this possible. The platform makes juniors visible when briefs are distributed, while still leaving choice in the hands of attorneys. Crucially, it also enables corporates and clients to meet their own BBBEE, EE, and transformation targets. Companies that want to retain their scores can specify transformation clauses in their briefs, and the system will track and promote compliance transparently. On launch, this will be visible in real time, showing exactly how opportunities are reaching juniors and disadvantaged advocates.

In truth, transformation cannot be reduced to box-ticking. AuxBrief does not impose it — it enables it. By aligning clients, attorneys, and Bar leadership around clear parameters and visible outcomes, the system ensures that transformation commitments are not only met but translated into stronger advocacy, sustainable careers, and better justice for all.

In a nutshell

AuxBrief is not built to police transformation — it enables it, giving juniors visibility while helping corporates meet BBBEE, EE, and transformation targets through transparent, trackable briefs. 

The legal industry is traditionally slow to change. Do you anticipate resistance from senior advocates who have long benefited from the old briefing system?

Resistance to change is natural in a profession as traditional as the law, and senior advocates have often been slow to adopt new technology. Yet our 15 years of experience shows that once value is proven, adoption follows.

It is also important to note that senior advocates are not only beneficiaries of the old system — they are mentors and custodians of professional standards. What seniors expect from juniors has never changed: excellence, reliability, and service to the client. Bar Societies have long paired juniors with seniors to ensure continuity. AuxBrief strengthens this culture by making juniors more visible, while still relying on seniors to provide mentorship and oversight.

We have however already seen leadership in action. Adv. Mahlape Sello SC, and Adv. Tiny Seboko SC championed the AuxBrief vision and drew other senior colleagues into the process. They gave up their weekends to guide juniors, while attorneys like Vezi de Beer Inc. provided practical training and Standard Bank lent client-side support. In truth, while some resistance may remain, senior advocates are already showing the way forward. AuxBrief is the product of that very collaboration, and it proves that when senior leaders embrace innovation, the profession follows.

In a nutshell

AuxBrief builds on the Bar’s existing culture of mentorship — seniors remain gatekeepers of standards, but now juniors gain visibility and opportunities in a fairer, more transparent system.

Could AuxBrief unintentionally create a new form of hierarchy — where only tech-savvy advocates thrive, while older or rural-based members fall further behind?

It is a fair concern that technology could create new hierarchies — but AuxBrief was designed to do the opposite. It recognises that attorneys and advocates work in very different contexts, so the system offers two tailored experiences that connect seamlessly.

For attorneys, AuxBrief is a structured web application with detailed tools for briefing, tracking, and cost management. For advocates, AuxGenie is a simple mobile app built for life on the move. Briefs arrive as push notifications, and with a single tap, an advocate can accept or decline. Integrated billing is included but kept lightweight and intuitive. Fourteen years of experience have shown us that complexity does not work in practice — simplicity does.

This dual design ensures that no one is left behind. Older practitioners, rural advocates, and juniors just starting out can engage at the most basic level — tap to accept, enter a fee, or receive a prompt. And because technology alone is never enough, Auxcon’s model embeds human support at every stage. In truth, AuxBrief is not about rewarding the most tech-savvy; it is about lowering barriers, widening visibility, and dismantling old hierarchies so that opportunities flow more fairly across the Bar.

In a nutshell

AuxBrief was built for simplicity — advocates receive briefs as push notifications via AuxGenie on a mobile app and can respond with a single tap. This easy, on-the-move design ensures seniors, juniors, and rural members are included rather than left behind.

Some critics might argue that technology cannot fix deeper systemic issues like corruption, patronage, or unequal access to justice. How do you respond?

It is true that technology alone cannot erase systemic issues like corruption, patronage, or unequal access to justice. But what Auxcon’s approximately 15-year journey has proven is that technology, when built with deep understanding of the profession and coupled with persistence, service, and collaboration, can shift entrenched patterns.

When we first entered the market, many said it would never work. Some attorneys even refused to brief advocates who used Auxcon’s services. At the State Attorney, individual attorneys openly resisted advocates who partnered with us. Yet, by holding to our values of fairness and reliability, Auxcon earned trust and was eventually endorsed by the General Council of the Bar to support all 14 Bar Societies nationally. That trust is the foundation on which AuxBrief is built.

AuxBrief does not claim to “fix” corruption or patronage overnight. What it does is reduce the space where such practices thrive — by streamlining processes, removing bottlenecks, and creating visibility around how work flows. Technology and data make it harder for inefficiency and unfairness to hide. In truth, systemic change will always depend on people and institutions. But with AuxBrief, Bar Societies, government, corporates, and attorneys now have the tools to act fairly, transparently, and with accountability. That is how real change takes root — not through force, but through better systems and shared commitment.”

In a nutshell

AuxBrief cannot erase corruption overnight, but by making briefing transparent and trackable, it reduces the space where patronage and unfairness can hide.

From a client’s perspective, AuxBrief promises cost clarity and transparency. But legal fees in South Africa are notoriously high. Will the platform make legal services genuinely more affordable, or just more transparent?

AuxBrief does not promise to make legal services cheap — but it does create the conditions for costs to be clearer, fairer, and easier to justify. The Legal Practice Act makes the reasonableness of fees a cornerstone of access to justice. AuxBrief supports that principle by embedding structure and transparency into every step of briefing.

From the client’s perspective, this means knowing upfront what fees are agreed, what timelines are set, and how progress is tracked. Nothing is hidden. Over time, the data AuxBrief generates may help the profession reflect more meaningfully on what ‘reasonable’ looks like across different types of matters.

In truth, AuxBrief is not about forcing outcomes — it is about enabling fairness and accountability. The result is not necessarily ‘cheaper law,’ but a profession where costs are more transparent, more consistent, and more aligned with the principle of reasonableness that underpins justice in South Africa.”

In a nutshell

AuxBrief does not promise to make law cheap — but it will make costs transparent, consistent, and aligned with the principle of reasonableness at the heart of the Legal Practice Act.

Will AuxBrief be accessible to smaller firms and community-based attorneys, or will it primarily serve big law firms and corporate clients?

AuxBrief was designed to serve the entire profession, not just big firms. Any attorney with an internet connection can access it. That means smaller firms and community-based practices stand to benefit just as much as corporate law firms.

For attorneys in these environments, the platform removes hours of admin and provides instant visibility of available advocates, making it easier to compete, serve clients, and deliver on transformation commitments. For advocates, it ensures that opportunities are not limited to those with relationships at the biggest firms.

In truth, AuxBrief levels the playing field. Whether you are a sole practitioner, a community attorney, or part of a major corporate firm, the same process applies: briefs are issued digitally, advocates are matched fairly, and progress is tracked transparently. That universality is the power of the system — it belongs to the whole profession.

In a nutshell

AuxBrief is open and accessible to all — from sole practitioners and community firms to corporates — levelling the playing field with one transparent system.

How might this innovation affect ordinary South Africans seeking justice — especially those who already struggle to afford legal representation?

AuxBrief has already created a more transparent, fair, and efficient briefing system between attorneys and advocates. The next frontier is ordinary South Africans seeking justice — especially those who cannot afford representation. Here, the pro bono requirements under the Legal Practice Act present both an opportunity and a challenge.

The opportunity is vast: thousands of advocates and attorneys are now required to dedicate hours each year to pro bono service. The challenge is not the availability of these hours, but how to mobilise and manage them so they reach those who need them most. Under the leadership of Adv Mahlape Sello SC, Chair of the JSA, and Adv. Tiny Seboko SC, Chair of the Transformation, Briefing Patterns, and Pro Bono Committee at the JSA, a new initiative is now being developed with Vezi de Beer Inc. and Auxcon. The vision is to build on AuxBrief’s foundation to create a system that unlocks and coordinates pro bono hours at scale.

In truth, this project is still in its early stages, but the direction is clear. With AuxBrief proving how collaboration can transform briefing, the next step is to extend that same logic to access to justice. Mandatory pro bono hours can be turned into a powerful force for fairness and inclusion — giving ordinary South Africans a stronger pathway to the representation they deserve.

In a nutshell

AuxBrief enables briefing, tracking, and reaching advocates at scale — which creates a solid foundation for the next initiative: to leverage the system to turn mandatory pro bono hours into real access to justice for ordinary South Africans.

Do you see AuxBrief as a South African solution for South Africa, or as a potential export model for legal systems across Africa and globally?

AuxBrief is proudly South African — born from the realities of our legal profession, our transformation journey, and our urgent need for fairness and efficiency. It answers problems that are not unique to South Africa: inefficiency, inequitable briefing, delayed payments, and lack of transparency exist across Africa and in legal systems around the world.

The proof is in the launch. South Africa is not only the first country to digitise legal briefing at this scale, but the Johannesburg Bar is leading globally by embedding equity and transparency into the system from day one. The involvement of corporate partners, attorneys, and Bar leadership demonstrates how a profession can align to solve entrenched challenges.

In truth, AuxBrief is both a South African solution and a global precedent. It shows that technology and collaboration can restore trust in legal systems anywhere. What starts here can be adopted across Africa and exported to the world — positioning South Africa as a leader in reimagining how justice is served.

In a nutshell

AuxBrief is a proudly South African innovation — but its model of fair, transparent briefing is exportable across Africa and globally as a precedent for modernising justice.