On 13 October the Legal Aid Service (LAS) with the support of the Council of Europe Office in Georgia organised a roundtable discussion “Digitalization of Law - the Future is Today”, dedicated to the issue of integration of automated digital services into the justice system.

As the mandate of the Legal Aid Service and its geographical coverage are expanding the demand on free legal assistance in Georgia is increasing. To reduce the consultants’ workload and accelerate the delivery of services the LAS is planning to gradually integrate algorithmic digital systems in the daily work of the free legal aid bureaus. The objective of the conference was to raise the awareness of relevant government agencies and donors on this issue and on efforts of the LAS to tackle it.

Among the attendees were the LAS Director and Deputy Directors, Deputy Head of the Council of Europe Office in Georgia and the Chairs of two parliamentary committees, the Committee on Legal Issues and on the Committee on Human Rights and Civic Integration. The event was also attended by sitting judges, law professors, experts in the information technology field, donor organisations working in the justice sector and students of law faculties. Participants discussed the future of the justice system in light of the gradual introduction of digital capabilities. Justice sector actors mostly expressed their positive attitude towards the integration of such capabilities to reduce the workload on legal professionals but at the same time expressed their caution over the fact that rapid development of technological abilities leaves very little time for the legal system to analyse risks and react.

The activity was organised within the framework of the Council of Europe Project entitled “Enhanced Access to Legal Aid Services for Marginalised Population” and implemented in Georgia.