More than 100 participants from universities, law firms and technology companies took part in the Law Society of NSW’s first hackathon, hosted in partnership with The Legal Forecast on 7-9 September.
Hackers were asked to develop solutions around various access to justice challenges that were posed by the Supreme Court of NSW and Justice Connect and based on real issues the courts face. Young guns and old hands alike joined forces, as students from law schools around NSW were mentored by experienced lawyers and professors from a range of sectors in the legal industry.
“The energy is buzzing – where’d you get this crowd from?” remarked Law Society CEO Michael Tidball on the opening night. The winners were announced at the FLIP Conference dinner on 14 September. Team “HACKTIVATE” won the NSW Supreme Court Challenge by devising a multi-platform app that could be used as a courtroom translator. Team “W.O.M.B.A.T.” won the Justice Connect Challenge, with its idea for an app that would provide an easy guide for self-represented litigants to claim lost entitlements