Bridging the Justice Gap: Hackathons as Catalysts for Change
by Canadian Bar Association, British Columbia Branch (CBABC)
Bridging the Justice Gap: Hackathons as Catalysts for Change is a webinar organized by the Canadian Bar Association, British Columbia Branch (CBABC). This event focuses on the role of legal hackathons in developing innovative solutions to enhance access to justice. It brings together experts and innovators from various hackathons, including The Justice Hack (BC), the Stanford CodeX Hackathon, the Philadelphia Social Justice Hackathon, and the Cambridge Hack the Law Hackathon, to share insights on user-centered and multidisciplinary approaches that generate novel tools, strategies, and partnerships.
Key topics covered include the potential of hackathons to create more equitable legal systems, the integration of technology in legal applications, and the development of solutions such as chatbots and virtual platforms to assist individuals in navigating the complexities of the legal system. The panelists will discuss their experiences in coordinating hackathons and ensuring the continuity of projects initiated during these events.
The webinar features distinguished speakers such as Brandon Hastings, founder of The Justice Hack and litigator at Cassady Law LLP; Dr. Megan Ma, Associate Director of CodeX at Stanford Law School; Amy A. Emerson, Assistant Dean at Villanova University; Insiyah Jamal, Project Manager at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School; and Zarja Hude, Senior Associate at King's College, University of Cambridge. The session is moderated by Hayley Woodin Hastings, Editor-in-Chief at Business in Vancouver.
This event is particularly beneficial for legal professionals, law students, developers, designers, and community members interested in the intersection of law and technology. Attendees will gain valuable insights into how collaborative efforts can lead to innovative solutions that address access to justice challenges.
Speakers(6)
Amy A. Emerson
Assistant Dean for Library and Information Services & Professor of Law at Villanova University
Amy A. Emerson is Assistant Dean for Library and Information Services and Professor of Law at Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law, and serves as a Co-Organizer of the Philadelphia Chapter of Legal Hackers. She brings experience in organizing social justice hackathons focused on the intersection of law and technology.
Brandon Hastings
Founder, The Justice Hack; Litigator & Mediator at Cassady Law LLP
Brandon Hastings is a litigator and mediator at Cassady Law LLP and the founder of The Justice Hack, dedicated to bridging the justice gap through innovative solutions at the intersection of law and technology. He holds an LLM in Law, Technology, and Entrepreneurship from Cornell Tech and is a co-founder of Vancouver Legal Hackers, fostering a legal technology community and advancing discussions on computational law, access to justice, and policy reform.
Dr. Megan Ma
Associate Director at CodeX and Law, Science, Technology Program, Stanford Law School
Dr. Megan Ma is a Research Fellow and the Associate Director of the Stanford Program in Law, Science, and Technology and the Stanford Center for Legal Informatics (CodeX). Her research focuses on the use and integration of generative AI in legal applications and the translation of legal knowledge to code, considering their implications in contexts of human-machine collaboration. She also teaches courses in computational law and insurance tech at the Law School.
Hayley Woodin Hastings
Editor-in-Chief at Business in Vancouver (BIV)
Hayley Woodin Hastings is the Editor-in-Chief at Business in Vancouver (BIV).
Insiyah Jamal
Project Manager at Responsible Computing for Just Futures Initiative, University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School
Insiyah Jamal is a Project Manager for the Responsible Computing for Just Futures Initiative at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School. She has a multi-disciplinary background in project management, data management, and analytics at higher education institutions and an Am Law 200 law firm. She co-founded the Philadelphia Social Justice Hackathon series as co-organizer for the Philadelphia Chapter of LegalHackers.org, bringing together all the Philly law schools, local legal aid providers, technology groups, and the community.
Zarja Hude
Senior Associate at King’s College, University of Cambridge
Zarja Hude is a PhD candidate at London School of Economics, researching tax data modelling. She’s a senior associate at King’s Entrepreneurship Lab at University of Cambridge, where she runs Weekly Workshops and LLM x Law Hackathon. Previously, she worked at EY’s technology centre of excellence, focusing on generative AI applications in immigration practice. She graduated from the Faculty of Law at University of Cambridge.
Event Details
- Date
- February 6, 2025
- Location
- 🇨🇦 Canada
- Online (Zoom Webinar)
- Pricing
- Free
- Audience
- Legal professionals, law students, developers, designers, and community members interested in legal technology and access to justice.
- CLE Credits
- 1.5 Hours (Ethics)
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