Law As Code: Advancing the digitalisation of law - ReMeP
Digitalisation does not stop at the legal system. “Law As Code” is a concept that deals with the machine-readable and automated processing of legal norms. The aim is to make legal processes more efficient, improve access to legislation and provide innovative applications. But what does “Law As Code” actually mean and what opportunities does it offer?
Law As Code: What is it?
The term “Law As Code” describes the systematic implementation of laws and regulations in a structured form that can be understood by machines. This involves not only the digitalisation of documents, but also the transformation of legal standards into executable algorithms and computer-aided decision-making processes.
A central element are so-called “Law As Code” applications that help to automate and simplify legal work steps.
These include, among others:
- Automated contract review: AI-supported systems analyse contractual clauses for risks and inconsistencies.
- Intelligent legal queries: Chatbots and AI assistants provide automated answers to legal questions.
- Norm coding: Laws are structured in such a way that they can be processed directly by software.
Fields of application and advantages
The “Law As Code” concept opens up a wide range of possible applications for different parties:
| Area of application | Benefits |
|---|---|
| Public administration | More efficient processing of applications and decisions through automated systems. |
| Companies | Faster and more cost-effective compliance processes through automated legal analyses. |
| Citizens | Better accessibility to legal information through digital assistants. |
| Legal counselling | Assistance through AI-supported research and analysis tools. |
Challenges and future prospects
Although “Law As Code” is promising, there are challenges that need to be addressed:
- Range of interpretation: Laws are often ambiguously worded, making algorithmic implementation difficult.
- Data protection and security: The automation of legal processes must meet the highest security standards.
- Acceptance and trust: Both lawyers and citizens must be able to rely on the digital transformation of the law.
Nevertheless, ‘’Law As Code‘’ will continue to develop and increasingly find its way into everyday legal life. Interdisciplinary cooperation between lawyers, computer scientists and administrative experts can lead to innovative solutions that change the legal world in the long term.
“Law As Code” is more than just a trend
It is a significant step towards a digital, more efficient and more accessible legal world. Anyone interested in the future of legal informatics should explore this exciting concept and actively participate in the design of new solutions, e.g. within the 2nd ReMeP ‘’Law As Code‘’ Hackathon.
