Stephanie Barrett
Queen’s University Belfast and Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) are today hosting an event aimed at supporting law tech innovation in Northern Ireland.
Taking place at Riddel Hall, the Venture Day is a competition for start-ups revolutionising the legal technology landscape. The competition will see startups working on cyber, due diligence, generative AI and other areas of emerging tech pitch their ideas to a panel of industry experts.
Three participants will be chosen to participate in a Global Venture Day final in Madrid later this year.
Stephanie Barrett, associate director in legal technology for the UK, US and EMEA in Herbert Smith Freehills’ digital legal delivery practice, will speak in a panel discussion as part of today’s event.
“When it comes to placing bets on the legal technology that will best serve clients’ needs, it starts with user cases, questions about what problems need to be solved and how technology can provide an answer,” she said.
“After all, even the shiniest new tech can be dulled and tarnished if left on the shelf through as a result of poor development and low rates of adoption.”
She added: “Over many years, our own experience has taught us that successfully embedding and deploying legal technology involves multi-disciplinary teams and rigorous planning.
“As with all new legal technologies which have come before it, Generative AI will certainly develop at pace and will only be as effective as the people and processes built around it.”
Lyn Harris, a partner in Herbert Smith Freehills’ digital legal delivery practice and one of the competition judges, said: “The onus is not just on the technology to succeed. The digital lawyer of the future will need to embrace technology and the future legal technologist will be a role which will grow in importance.
“This fusion of technology, law and tech skillsets will see the blending of artificial and emotional intelligence, paving the way for law firms to open their future doors to non-legal skillsets and a broader range of talent.”
