The World Legal Summit, WLS 2019, is designed to bring disparate jurisdictions together in collaboration around building a better understanding of what is happening with technology regulation and governance world-wide. Dublin will bring a unique viewpoint to the discussion, focusing on the legislative and governance structures in the city and more broadly across Ireland.

AI moment

“The Dublin Summit will focus on Ireland’s ‘AI moment’ and explore the options for Ireland to create its own solutions and legislation domestically, as well as influence long-term debate in Europe and globally.” says Dr. David Cowan Author and Academic, and Associate Lecturer at the Maynooth University. Organizers say there is a wealth of legal, technological and academic talent In Ireland, which has the benefit of size where bringing everyone together to debate the issues can be done. This is on the agenda of the Dublin-based meeting on 1 August 2019, which is part of a global virtual World Legal Summit 2019. This debate has far-reaching consequences for the nation and its people.

Global agenda

This year the global WLS is focusing on three main categories: Identity and Personal Governance; Autonomous Machines; and, Cyber Security and Personal Data. These topics will be debated from an Irish perspective amongst panelists drawn equally from the legal and technology world in Ireland. “This summit hopes to bridge the gap, in every sense, between lawyers and technologists. To find a common language and develop a mutual understanding of the approach taken to commercial and technical innovation. This day will be of interest to technology lawyers, coders, engineers, CTOs, CLOs and students. All are welcome,” says Dublin-based Barrister Brendan Guildea BL.    

Dublin event

The Dublin event will also highlight Dublin’s local projects, and provide an opportunity for the business, legal and wider community in Ireland to further progress these projects, in a globally collaborative environment. The discussion also provides a platform for Ireland and the global community to further the understanding of legislative and regulatory frameworks. “These frameworks are enabling the sustainable development of emerging technologies and getting a range of input in Ireland in a global context is a significant initiative, “ says Dr. Cowan. The Dublin event now has additional sponsorship from Bar of ireland, as well as partnership with cyber security company CalQRisk, and technology law specialists Holmes O’Malley Sexton. The media partner for the event is the Global Legal Post.

WLS rationale

The World Legal Summit is a meeting held in over 31 global centres linked virtually to create a global environment for discussion, without the financial and environmental costs usually associated with such events. WLS seeks to address the problems raised by technology and global systems evolving at unprecedented rates. Legislative and regulatory advances - typically developed in silos - are not keeping pace, meaning emerging technologies and the associated global systems are ill-informed. As a result, WLS seeks to explore the solution of creating a truly global collaboration resulting in the shared understanding of legislative and regulatory frameworks surrounding emerging technologies. And the creation of an environment for technologists to build these frameworks into their technologies.

The agenda and speaker bios can be found at: https://worldlegalsummit.org/dublin-host-page