Explore the future of AI, law and legal technology with leading experts, innovators, students and industry leaders at Ulster University.

AI: What’s Next for Legal Technology?

Two days bringing together the judiciary, legal profession, technology, industry, academia and students to explore what comes next for law in the age of AI.

The Centre for Legal Technology (CLT) at Ulster University, in conjunction with the International Future of Law Association (IFLA) and LawTech Ireland, invites you to Belfast on 5–6 November 2026 for two days of discussion, collaboration and practical innovation.

From the future of legal practice and legal education to judicial AI, access to justice and emerging models of legal service delivery, the event will bring together people developing, using, researching, regulating and experiencing the impact of legal technology.

The main conference on Friday 6 November will be officially opened by a Senior Government Figure.

DAY 1 — Vibeathon/Hackathon

Thursday 5 November | 1:30pm–5:00pm

We start by building.

Student and industry teams will work together on challenges around AI and legal technology, combining legal knowledge, technology and new ideas to develop practical responses to real-world problems.

Participants will:

Work collaboratively on an AI and legal technology challenge

Exchange ideas with students, professionals and industry

Develop and pitch an innovative solution

Compete for a £500 prize

Finish the afternoon with pizza and beer

See the winning team announced at 5:00pm

Taking part as a team?

Following registration, please email clt@ulster.ac.uk with your team name, team members and nominated team contact. Teams should be no bigger than 4 individuals.

Registered teams will receive further information on the challenge, format, timings and practical arrangements directly from CLT.

DAY 2 — Conference

Friday 6 November | 9:00am–5:30pm

The main conference brings together the judiciary, lawyers, law firms, alternative legal service providers, technology companies, policymakers, academics, researchers and students for a day looking beyond the AI hype to the questions now facing law and legal services.

The programme will explore:

What’s actually next for legal technology?

The law school of the future and the skills lawyers will need in the age of AI

The law firm of the future and changing models of legal service delivery

Judicial AI and where the boundaries of appropriate use should lie

AI and access to justice

The opportunities, risks and governance challenges presented by increasingly capable AI

The day will combine keynote contributions, expert panels, practical technology demonstrations and audience discussion, with opportunities to meet and connect across sectors.

Lunch will be provided, with a drinks reception and networking following the conference.Who should attend?This is deliberately a cross-sector event.

If you work in, study, regulate, research, build for or simply care about the future of law and legal services, we want you in the room.

Judiciary | Barristers | Solicitors | Law Firms | ALSPs | In-house Legal Teams | Legal Technology | Government & Policymakers | Academics & Researchers | Students | Technology & Industry

Whether you are already working with AI or simply want to understand what is coming next, the event is an opportunity to learn, challenge assumptions, make connections and contribute to the conversation.

Sponsors

We are grateful for the support of:

Headline Sponsor

Thomson Reuters

Innovation Sponsors

Allstate | Baker McKenzie | StructureFlow

Their support enables CLT to bring together the legal, judicial, technology, academic and industry communities around the future of law and technology.

Event Partners

Hosted by the Centre for Legal Technology, Ulster University, in conjunction with the International Future of Law Association and LawTech Ireland.

📍 Ulster University, Belfast Campus

📅 Thursday 5 & Friday 6 November 2026

Free to attend | CPD available

The Vibeathon/Hackathon and Conference are separate elements of the programme. Please select the appropriate ticket when registering. Access will depend on the ticket selected.

Description supplied by the event organiser.