Calling all hackers: The University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law soon will host the state’s first legal-themed hack-a-thon.

Participants in the Legal Innovation Hack-a-thon will compete for a $1,000 top prize, while having fun, gaining valuable professional experience, and making important professional connections. The second-place team will take home $500.

People with a variety of skills and interests — including digital development, technology, legal services, marketing, and social justice are encouraged to compete and participate in this free team-based event.

Competitors will create technology that solves problems in the legal community, improving service for people and businesses, particularly in underserved populations. In the process, they’ll connect with opportunities and resources across the globe.

Sponsors will provide application programming interfaces (APIs), but teams will have the freedom to create their own solutions.

Organizers hope the two-day competition benefits the community by driving legal innovation and supporting entrepreneurship. Legal-tech industry sponsors, attorneys, and faculty members will take part in support and advisory roles.

The competition begins 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 5, and continues until noon the next day at the Bowen School of Law, 1201 McMath Ave., Little Rock. The event immediately follows the law school’s 2016 Law Review Symposium, “Legal Hacking: Technology and Innovation in the Legal Profession.”

Organizers will present a list of project ideas, but teams also are welcome to pursue their own concepts. Participants register as individuals but form their own teams either prior to or during the event. All projects will be started and finished on site.

Food, drinks, and mentoring will be provided.

Potential participants can register or find more information here: http://bowenlaw2016.devpost.com.  

Projects will be judged on innovation, impact, ease of use, and execution.

Judges include:

• Toby Unwin, chief innovation officer of Premonition
• Dan Lear, director of industry relations for Avvo
• Jeannette Eicks, research professor of law and co-director of the Center for Legal Innovation at the Vermont Law School
• Daniel Lewis, CEO and co-founder of Ravel Law
• Angela Upchurch, associate professor of law at the Southern Illinois University School of Law
• Anthony C, Johnson, CEO and co-founder of American Injury Attorney Group and a managing partner of Johnson & Vines, PLLC
• Lawrence Whitman, dean, UALR Donaghey College of Engineering and Information Technology
• Thomas Wallace, program coordinator, UALR Donaghey College of Engineering and Information Technology