#TransformLaw KWM Prize
Your chance to win $10,000
Are you a budding entrepreneur? Do you love AI and tech? Do you have an idea that could change the nature of legal practice?
Could your idea be worth $10,000?
UQ Law School, in conjunction with King & Wood Mallesons, is calling on UQ undergraduate students from all disciplines to develop innovative proposals that use technology to address a problem in legal practice.
Registrations are closed for the 2020 competition.
About the competition
12 August 2020 - 7 October 2020
#TransformLaw KWM Prize is so much more than a competition, it’s a unique opportunity to get exposure to the world of entrepreneurship and gain skills that will serve you throughout your degree and career.
Here's how it works:
1. Team up
Join a team of 2-4 University of Queensland undergraduate students, including at least one LLB student and one non-Law student. Don't worry if you don't have a team, as we can match you with other participants.
2. Learn to be an entrepreneur
Participate in a series of hands-on workshops run by UQ Ventures and industry mentors to learn the tools and frameworks to think like an entrepreneur and develop your proposal.
3. Pitch your idea
If your proposal is shortlisted in the top 5, you'll be invited to present to a panel of judges made up of academic and industry experts. If you win, your team will receive $10,000!
Program outline
| Date and time | Session | What you'll be doing |
|---|---|---|
|
12/08/20 5-7.30pm |
Session 1 Date night and User identification |
Brainstorm to identify users whose lives could be improved by innovation in law and regulation. Plus you'll also take part in a bunch of activities to meet teammates. |
| Inspiration: the purpose of the first part of the program is to understand who is the user of their product/service, what design challenge they are facing and who the team members are, and what role each of them has. | ||
|
19/08/20 5-7.30pm |
Session 2
|
Learn the human-centred design (HCD) tools needed to effectively interview and obtain insight from users and key stakeholders. |
| Ideation: the purpose of the second session is to brainstorm, choose and define the best solution for the challenge identified in phase one. | ||
|
26/08/20 5-7.30pm |
Session 3
|
Brainstorm potential solutions to address the identified challenge and narrow it down to the top 3. |
| Implementation and iteration: teams will explore the fit to market of their ideas, prototype their solutions and iterate the process to incorporate lessons into their solution. Teams will also provide an action plan for the team moving forward. | ||
|
2/09/20 5-7.30pm |
Session 4 Solution selection, fit to market analysis and business viability. |
Use business model canvas and industry analysis canvas tools to understand the viability of the different solutions from a business and customer perspective. |
|
9/09/20 5-7.30pm |
Session 5 Rapid prototyping |
Rapid-prototype the user experience journey (storyboard) for your solution and learn how to create an impactful presentation. |
|
23/09/20 5-7.30pm |
Session 6 Mentoring night and pitching practice |
Pitching preparation! Put the final touches on your prototype and develop your pitch with the assistance of Ventures staff and real entrepreneurs to present on Demo Day. |
|
7/10/20 TBC
|
Session 7 Demo day |
Present your solution (pitches and prototypes) to a panel of judges. The winning team takes home $10,000. |
Mentors
As part of the program, you will be mentored by a selection of high-calibre legal, tech and business experts, including:
- Alastair Blenkin - Founder and chief executive officer, Hyra iQ and UQ ilab alumnus
- Andrew Mowbray - Director, Australasian Legal Information Institute
- Sabrina Chakori - Founder, Brisbane Tool Library, UQ ilab alumnus and UQ Ventures ambassador
- Yaw-Hsien (Shen) Chow - Principal lawyer, YHC Lawyers
- Alborz Fallah - Founder, Caradvice.com.au and Idea Hub EIR
- Tiah Goldstein - Founder, Interwoven and UQBS lecturer
- Ran Heimann - Founder, Haystack and UQ Ventures EIR
- Nimrod Klayman - Head of UQ Ventures and serial founder
- Cayetana Martinez - Ventures Program Designer - UQ
- Iain McGregor-Lowndes - Queensland executive, The Legal Forecast and lawyer
- Angus Murray - Co-founder and director, The Legal Forecast and partner, Irish Bentley Lawyers
- Daniel Owen - Queensland executive, The Legal Forecast and lawyer at Piper Alderman
- Andrea Perry-Petersen - Founder, consultant and 2019 Innovation in Law award winner
- Akaash Singh - Queensland President, The Legal Forecast and lawyer at Allens
- Ryan Catterwell - Lecturer (UQ Law School) and Consultant (King & Wood Mallesons)
“The mentor nights gave us a lot of insight into what people were looking for, and how to frame our innovation in a way that actually addressed prevalent issues.”
Aimi Gordon 2019 KWM Prize Winner
FAQs
Do I need knowledge of or experience with law?
Nope (unless you’re a law student, then we do expect you to know something about the law!).
Every team must have at least one UQ Law student, so they will have the ‘legal knowledge’ part covered, and then it’s just about bringing your creativity, problem-solving and practical skills to the table.
Depending on the problem your idea addresses, your team might also leverage computer science, logic, philosophy or entrepreneurship skills.
What problems need solving?
That’s up to you and your team, and there are mentors who will guide you. Need some inspiration? Read about the 2019 winning team’s AI-powered search engine or start thinking about some of the topics below.
- Electronic signatures and cybersecurity
- The role of blockchain in commercial transactions
- The use of machine learning in pro bono work
- The automation of legal reasoning
- The use of technology to promote access to justice
Am I eligible?
Please review the detailed eligibility criteria.
How will the program be delivered?
Please note this program involves participation in seven sessions over an eight-week period. Delivery is TBA depending on COVID-19 restrictions.
Want to know more?
Get the lowdown on the competition in this interview with last year's winning team JustAI and mentor Ryan Catterwell. Watch now
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