Code & Law Hackathon: Where Legal Innovation Met Artificial Intelligence
Pembroke College, Oxford, became a vibrant centre of creativity and experimentation during the Code & Law Hackathon, an intensive one-day event exploring how artificial intelligence can meaningfully improve access to justice and dispute resolution.
The hackathon was co-hosted by ArbTech.io, the Oxford Artificial Intelligence Society (OxAI), and the Oxbridge AI Challenge & Oxbridge AI X, in partnership with Lovable and the Singapore Global Network (SGN). Together, these organisations created a unique environment where lawyers, technologists, researchers, and innovators worked side by side to reimagine legal processes through AI.
From Ideas to Working Prototypes — in One Day
What made the Code & Law Hackathon particularly striking was the pace and depth of progress. Over the course of a single day, participants moved from early concepts to fully functional prototypes, using Lovable AI as their primary development tool.
Teams tackled complex and timely challenges, including:
Early-stage case assessment tools to help users understand disputes sooner
Negotiation support systems designed to reduce friction and escalation
User-centric legal workflows focused on clarity, accessibility, and efficiency
The results demonstrated not only technical skill, but also a strong understanding of real-world legal pain points — showing how interdisciplinary collaboration can unlock practical, forward-looking solutions.
Insights from Leaders in Law and Legal Innovation
The day was further enriched by keynote talks from two highly respected voices in the field:
Sir Ernest Ryder, former Senior President of Tribunals, shared insights on modernising justice systems and the structural challenges facing dispute resolution today.
Lado Sirdadze, a leading expert in legal technology and innovation, spoke about the urgent need for genuine knowledge exchange between computer scientists and legal professionals in order to build tools that truly work in practice.
Together, their perspectives set the tone for the event: innovation in law requires not just technology, but deep collaboration across disciplines.
Expert Judging with a Focus on Real-World Impact
The judging panel brought exceptional breadth and depth of expertise:
Sophie Nappert, internationally recognised arbitrator, contributed deep insight into dispute resolution practice.
Mihaela Apostol, legal technology specialist, focused on feasibility and implementation.
Lado Sirdadze, drawing on his experience at the intersection of law and AI.
Udai Dhamija, expert in digital transformation, evaluated scalability and long-term impact.
Their feedback helped ensure that the solutions were not only innovative, but also viable, ethical, and relevant to real legal systems.
Congratulations to the Winning Team
The competition concluded with a well-deserved win for Team Truce AI, composed of Matthew Christensen, Wilhelm Lorenz Bühner, Malika Nakisbekova, and Jun Yang. Their solution stood out for its thoughtful approach to dispute resolution and its strong potential for practical adoption.
Building the Future of Law, Together
The Code & Law Hackathon was a powerful demonstration of what becomes possible when law and technology converge in a spirit of experimentation, openness, and collaboration. It highlighted a growing movement — one focused not on abstract promises of AI, but on building tangible tools that can improve how justice is accessed and delivered.
ArbTech is proud to collaborate with partners and communities that are actively shaping the future of dispute resolution and legal innovation.
