The DCU Law and Tech Research Cluster is pleased to announce the upcoming two-day event “The Gavel and the Algorithm: Courts’ Role in a Data-Driven World,” scheduled for 22–23 January 2026 at Dublin City University (Glasnevin Campus) as part of Data and Privacy Week.
This two-day seminar brings together leading judges, scholars, and legal practitioners to explore how judicial institutions are engaging with the challenges posed by data-driven technologies and artificial intelligence.
As digital technologies become increasingly integrated into public and private decision-making processes, questions about how courts interpret, evaluate, and enforce rights in algorithmic contexts have taken centre stage. This event will examine the evolving role of courts in ensuring fairness, accountability, and legal certainty in the era of big data and AI.
22 January 2026 (16:00–18:30)
The seminar will open with a keynote dialogue featuring Justice Iseult O’Malley of the Supreme Court of Ireland and Justice Gilmar Ferreira Mendes of the Supreme Court of Brazil. Their conversation will set the stage for deeper reflection on judicial approaches to data, algorithmic evidence, and digital governance across different legal systems.
23 January 2026 (10:00–13:00)
The second day will continue with academic roundtable sessions, offering space for rigorous discussion among scholars and practitioners on themes such as algorithmic transparency, judicial review of data-intensive practices, and the intersection of technological innovation with fundamental rights protection.
The seminar is part of DCU Ethics and Privacy Week and reflects the Cluster’s commitment to fostering interdisciplinary dialogue on the impact of emerging technologies on legal systems and society.
Registration is now open. For security reasons, registration is mandatory and we encourage you to register as soon as possible. Registration will be closed once the events are fully booked. Participants are encouraged to secure their place.
This event is promoted by the DCU Law and Tech Research Cluster of Dublin European Law Institute (DELI) in partnership with the EMILDAI programme, the ADAPT Centre for AI-Driven Digital Content Technology, the Instituto Brasileiro de Ensino, Desenvolvimento e Pesquisa, and the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul.
