Hong Kong, 9 April 2018: A Boase Cohen & Collins team have been commended for their innovative performance at the Access to Justice InnoTech Law Hackathon 2018.
The quintet, co-ordinated by BC&C associate Allison Lee, developed an app allowing users to book consultations with pro bono lawyers with relevant expertise. Their presentation received an Honourable Mention from the judging panel.
“Our service is called FreeDM, standing for free direct meeting. A lawyer signs up for three to five areas of expertise so they can be quickly matched to a case and any time slot offered by the lawyer can be booked for a meeting, whether it is at their office, another location or over the phone.
“The app also has a chatbot to assist with basic information and teach users how to prepare for the meeting, and this includes a triage service to screen cases and prioritise the most urgent matters. FreeDM is designed as a matching service that is both flexible and efficient while offering users fast and sound legal advice,” explained the team.
Allison, who has a Master of Science in computing to go with her law qualifications, was joined in the Boase Cohen & Collins-sponsored team by counsel Victoria Yue and Ian Chau and software developers Wilson Wong and Victor Leung.
The Hackathon saw 26 teams comprising legal professionals, IT specialists, students and other interested parties battle it out in a two-day competition to design and develop technology-enabled solutions that address issues in community justice and legal services. It was staged at Cyberport and hosted by the Law Society of Hong Kong.
Boase Cohen & Collins Senior Partner Colin Cohen commented: “Like many industries, the legal profession is undergoing a digital revolution and law firms face an immense challenge in embracing new technologies while maintaining close business relationships. Therefore, we were delighted to be involved in the Hackathon and our congratulations go to Allison and her teammates for a fantastic performance.”