At the AIxPravo legal hackathon, held alongside the conference of the same name in February this year, most teams chose our challenge from among the six set by law firms: to develop an AI-powered tool that gives the client a substantive reply to an enquiry while, in the background, checking for conflicts of interest and assessing risk under the ZPPDFT-2 (the Slovenian Prevention of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act). The winning team consisted of Maj Zabukovnik, Jakob Nejc Ružič, Lan Jošt Kozole and Maryia K.
The prize was not material but a one-month internship at our firm, with mentoring, and a conference fee for a conference of their choice. Since spring, they have been co-creating solutions that help our clients and employees. Maryia, the only law student on the team, stayed on after the internship as part of our legal team. We spoke with the group about the hackathon, the internship experience and the direction in which the intersection of law and technology will develop.
1.Why did you decide to enter the AIxLegal hackathon? What attracted you to a competition of this kind at the intersection of law and technology?
We received a recommendation for the hackathon from an older colleague from the faculty, who had won the previous year with his idea. After taking a closer look at the purpose of the competition, we decided to enter, as the topics seemed relevant and interesting, and the competition also gave us the opportunity to get to know a new field.
2. Six challenges from different law firms were on offer, and you chose ours. What was decisive in making that choice?
A combination of factors influenced our choice of your challenge. First, the challenge was presented clearly, the topic was interesting, it matched our personal interests and we had a vision of a good solution. We were also attracted by the promised prize, as it offered career development and attendance at a conference of our choice.
4. Our challenge was one of the more demanding ones, as it required solving three layers at once – a substantive reply to the client, a conflict of interest check and an AML/KYC risk assessment. How did you divide the work within the team, and where did the biggest “headache” arise?
We divided the work according to our existing experience and knowledge in computer science. Maj and Jošt, who had more experience in these areas, took on the backend part of the challenge, that is, the solution itself, while Jakob and Maryia dealt mainly with the presentation and visualisation of those solutions. Maryia contributed her legal knowledge and helped connect the different aspects of the solution.
4. Were there any frictions or disagreements within the team about the approach to the solution, and how did you resolve them?
The first challenge we had to face was aligning our ideas and visions for the final product. We had different views on this, but through listening and discussion we reached agreement. We then roughly divided the tasks, which gave each individual some creative freedom in implementation, so that, of course, the whole thing worked in the end.
5. What would you do differently with your solution today, with the benefit of some distance?
We would pay more attention to functionalities that are actually useful and polish them better, and devote less attention to the number of functions.
6. The prize was not material but a one-month internship with us, mentoring and attendance at a conference. How did you receive this form of prize – had you expected something else?
Jadek & Pensa was the only challenge provider whose prize represented an excellent way to gain new knowledge, contacts and competences.
We were pleasantly surprised by the professional and well-thought-out organisation of the internship and of the whole conference registration process. We had not expected such a serious and professional approach, which added extra value to the whole experience.
7. Three of you chose the Podim conference, and Maryia chose the conference Umetna inteligenca in pravni izzivi (Artificial Intelligence and Legal Challenges). Why this choice?
This choice was based mainly on the topics of the conferences. Podim is a more business-oriented conference, whereas the conference Umetna inteligenca in pravni izzivi is more law-oriented; both, however, are based on artificial intelligence.
8. What have you already put to use from what you learned at the hackathon, in your studies, internship or otherwise?
The very way of approaching an unfamiliar problem and, of course, the way of thinking about how to connect two fields that may seem completely incompatible at first glance.
9. The internship with us was not observation but real work with a great deal of responsibility. How did you experience this, and what did it give you?
Jakob: At first it was something unusual and unfamiliar for me, as it was the first time I had worked in such a large firm, where every decision carries so much responsibility. The employees at Jadek & Pensa were of great help to me and really gave me the impression that I was welcome and treated as an equal, so that by the second day of my internship I already felt as though I had long been part of the firm. From the internship I learned above all what it means to bear such responsibility and how to cope with it.
Maryia: I experienced the internship as a very valuable experience, as I gained new knowledge in both law and IT. I had the opportunity to work with several female experts from different areas of law, who provided professional mentoring, help and support throughout the internship. As it was not merely observation but real work with responsibility, I felt that I could actually contribute to the shared result. The high level of organisation and the help of the expert team enriched the experience even further. Throughout the internship I felt welcome and included in the team.
10. Did you ever imagine that, while studying mathematics and computer science, you would do an internship at a law firm? How did you fit into a team made up entirely of lawyers?
No, we never imagined that we would connect these two fields in this way. I think I fitted in with the team of lawyers extremely well – not so much because of my personality and qualities, but because of the exceptional team and the atmosphere that prevailed even before my arrival.
11. What surprised you most about working at J&P, and what did you find most interesting?
We would highlight the exceptional professionalism of the team and the broad knowledge across different areas of law. Until now we have not had the opportunity anywhere else to meet so many top experts and follow their work. We would also particularly highlight the pleasant working atmosphere and the respectful, collegial relations in the office.
12. How would you rate the technological maturity of the firm compared with the environments you know from your studies or elsewhere? Were you surprised by how seriously development is taken here?
The firm is technologically very well set up. I think what surprised those of us who study computer science was that, in terms of the advanced technological solutions it uses, it not only outpaces competing law firms but is on the level of high-tech companies, including those that primarily develop business solutions.
13. Do you think that the development of technology (and artificial intelligence) will make young lawyers, or young professionals, replaceable, or is it more a change in what will be expected of them?
We see the development of technology (and artificial intelligence) mainly as a change in the way of working, not as a complete replacement of young professionals. Since artificial intelligence affects all professions, it will be important that we know how to use it sensibly, while the law can set the necessary limits and prevent its uncontrolled use.
14. How important do you think it is for a law firm such as Jadek & Pensa to have a dedicated head of legal technology and innovation?
Every somewhat larger company, including law firms, has staff who maintain IT systems, fix errors and support employees. These staff, however, often did not develop any new solutions, at least until it became an absolutely essential business need. Establishing the role of head of (legal) technology and innovation closes precisely this gap, as it assigns someone to think strategically about future needs and about optimising current tasks with the help of existing technological solutions. This certainly brings an enormous competitive advantage, especially in the age of artificial intelligence, where even experts find it hard to keep up with all the changes.
15. How do you view the fact that Maryia stayed on as part of the team after the internship – has it changed your view of where such an experience can lead you?
We are glad for Maryia that she stayed on as part of the team after completing the internship, and we are very proud that we were able to help her along this path. I was already of the opinion beforehand that an internship at such a renowned firm can take you far, but this experience changed my view of hackathons. Sometimes it is worth “spending” a whole day at the faculty, struggling with a problem, because it is most often precisely from such unexpected opportunities that you can gain the most.
16. Would you recommend an internship at a law firm to your fellow students at FRI (the Faculty of Computer and Information Science)? Why?
We would definitely recommend an internship at a law firm to FRI students, as such an experience forces you to acquire new knowledge from another field, you meet a great many outstanding lawyers, it shows you the importance of cooperation and interdisciplinary communication, and at the same time it offers you another perspective on the impact of the solutions you develop.
17. The firm was the first to open its doors to computer science students. How come you were first – was it boldness or necessity?
We assess that it is both boldness and necessity. Every new move carries much that is unknown and also considerable risk, but in today’s world, in the age of the AI boom, it is necessary to adapt to artificial intelligence and begin to “befriend” it, because in our opinion a company that tries to avoid using artificial intelligence will simply fall behind everyone else and will no longer be competitive.
18. What would you advise students who are thinking of entering the next AIxPravo hackathon?
We approached your challenge very broadly and tried to address absolutely all points of the challenge, which turned out to be considerably too much to take on. We would therefore advise future participants to review the points of the challenge and instead focus on the essential points that will convince with their useful value to the company. Useful value, however, can only be judged by a lawyer, so our second recommendation is to find a lawyer who will further enrich the knowledge of the whole team.
