Innovators to compete in Global Legal Hackathon for spot at New York showcase

The Global Legal Hackathon (globallegalhackathon.com) will arrive in South Africa for the first time next month, the Hague Institute for Innovation of Law (HiiL) announced today.

In a press release today, HiiL said the event, set for Johanneburg, will see local innovators compete for a place at a New York showcase of the best lawtech innovations in the world.

The hackathon takes place over three days, from 23 to 25 February at the Tshimologong Precinct in Braamfontein, and teams will develop technology-led solutions to pressing justice problems.

Whether it’s improving the business and practice of law with blockchain and AI, or helping with good government, legal systems and access to justice, this is an opportunity for justice entrepreneurs to build on existing ideas, or to create a team around an entirely new concept for justice innovation.

Innovations can range from improvements to contracting and supply chains, to solutions to social justice issues. The idea for Global Legal Hackathon originated with blockchain for the legal industry pioneers Integra Ledger and IBM Watson Legal, and will take place simultaneously in 42 cities.

The Global Legal Hackathon will take place from 23 to 25 February at the Tshimologong Precinct in Braamfontein

The event will be the first of several that HiiL plans to host in the lead up to its 2018 Innovating Justice Challenge (IJC – innovatingjustice.com). HiiL has been hosting the IJC and associated Justice Accelerator programme in Southern Africa for the last two years.

Themba Mahleka of HiiL Southern Africa said the Global Legal Hackathon is a “perfect” fit for HiiL.

“We see this as a perfect opportunity not only to take part in a major global event, but to help people prepare their startups for entry to our own Innovating Justice Challenge and Justice Accelerator programme later this year,” he said.

Mentors from the worlds of law and technology will be on hand to assist teams where they can. HiiL is hosting the Global Legal Hackathon in association with Hogan Lovells.

The event will take place at the Tshimologong Precinct in Braamfontein, and attendees can register here: www.eventcadence.com/e/GLH-Johannesburg. For more information contact Adam Oxford, adam.oxford@hiil.org.

Featured image: Pixel2013 via Pixabay