Legal Tech Ireland Conference 2025

University of Galway & TUS Athlone Co-organise Legal Tech Ireland Conference

A Joint University of Galway - TUS Athlone Event

Update: Please note that the deadline for paper submissions has been extended to 18 March 2025.

University of Galway School of Law is set to host the Legal Tech Ireland: Impacts, Policies, and Pathways conference, a landmark event bringing together legal experts, policymakers, and industry leaders to examine the transformative role of technology in the legal sector. The conference will take place on Monday, 7 April 2025, 10am – 5pm at the Deloitte BizHub, Cairnes Building, University of Galway. The event will also be available online to those who register in advance.

Building on the success of last year’s event hosted by the Technological University of the Shannon Athlone, Legal Technology & the Rule of Law 2024 (the third annual Legal Tech Conference event), the organisers have expanded the event to one co-organised by TUS Athlone Faculty of Business & Hospitality and the School of Law at University of Galway. This year, the focus will be on the all-island lawtech sector, enabling and limiting policy and regulatory factors, and the influence of post-pandemic shifts. This unique space brings together legal academics, practitioners, students and the public for creative exchange and dialogue on the legal, regulatory and ethical challenges posed. . Hear expert speakers from industry, the judiciary and academia propose solutions to these challenges. In particular dialogue on the different trajectories of legal technology adoption in Ireland and Northern Ireland in a post-Brexit/COVID 19 shared island.  

The conference will also feature a hackathon during which student teams will be asked to problem-solve legal tech challenges by applying creative and technical know-how under time constraints . Email ronan.m.kennedy@universityofgalway.ie for information on how to participate.

University of Galway has issued a Call for Papers for legal professionals, academics, and researchers interested in contributing to the conference. Submissions are encouraged on topics including, but not limited to:

• Developments in Legal Practice
• Technology and Justice
• Regulation through Technology
• Missed connections
• Lawtech in Ireland/Northern Ireland
• Enabling and restricting conditions in the Irish/NI lawtech landscape for innovation and early adoption:
• Regulatory Intersections & AI for Law
• Other aspects of legal technology in practice and in the courts

Dr. Rónán Kennedy, Senior Lecturer at University of Galway School of Law and one of the event organisers, highlighted the significance of this conference in shaping the future of legal technology in Ireland: “Technology is reshaping how legal services are delivered, creating new opportunities but also presenting significant challenges. This conference will bring together key stakeholders to discuss how Ireland can best navigate the evolving landscape of legal tech.”

Alison Hough BL, Senior Lecturer at TUS Athlone and co-organiser stated: "This event happens at a crucial juncture for the legal profession, legal entrepreneurs and the academy. It has never been more important that legal practice adoption of emerging technologies is informed by ethical, regulatory and moral considerations which emerge from the academy, and that the work of academics reflects the concerns arising on the ground in legal practice and legal entrepreneurship. This conference creates a unique and timely public forum for creative exchange.”

The event is expected to attract a wide range of participants, including lawyers, policymakers, academics, and technology experts, offering valuable insights into the integration of legal technology in practice and policy.

Paper and panel proposals can be emailed to ronan.m.kennedy@universityofgalway.ie

The deadline for paper submissions has been extended to 18 March 2025, with successful applicants invited to present their research at the conference.

Register below. For more information email ronan.m.kennedy@universityofgalway.ie and visit University of Galway School of Law’s website.

ENDS