Last Updated on 15. October 2026
A deadline expires, a complaint lacks detail, an investigation file runs to thousands of pages. In the justice system, details like these shape the course of a case. That’s exactly where the Legal Tech Hackathon Göttingen comes in: On October 29–30, 2026, law and computer science students will develop AI prototypes for real challenges from courts and prosecutors’ offices. They have 24 hours, and mentors from law, technology, and digital transformation guide them along the way. The overarching theme is “From Complaint to Judgment.” mgm technology partners is also part of the Legal Tech Hackathon Göttingen.
The event is organized by IBM Legal Tech and the University of Göttingen, together with the team of Prof. Dr. Philipp Reuß. The IBM Legal Tech Advisory Board provides subject-matter guidance. The patron is the EDV-Gerichtstag e. V., a German association dedicated to IT in the justice system. The expert jury includes the association’s executive board, representatives from academia, and IBM.
The eJustice Innovation Alliance supports the hackathon. Its partners, including mgm, developed the challenges together with IBM and the University of Göttingen and contribute mentoring and hands-on experience. You’ll find all event details on the Alliance’s event page: https://www.ejustice-innovation-alliance.de/events.html
Legal Tech Hackathon Göttingen 2026: Date, Venue, and Participation
Hackathon
IBM Legal Tech Hackathon Göttingen
- When
- Thursday, October 29, 2026, from 12 p.m., to Friday, October 30, 2026, until around 5 p.m.
- Where
- Digital Creative Space at the Göttingen State and University Library (SUB) and meeting and library rooms of the Faculty of Law
- Who
- Law and computer science students from across Germany, starting in their first semester. No programming experience required.
- Format
- Teams of five to eight people have 24 hours to build a prototype for a challenge from the justice system and present it to an expert jury.
- Cost
- Participation is free. The best teams win prize money of up to €1,000.
Which challenge is mgm bringing to the hackathon?
Our challenge addresses a question we also deal with in our day-to-day project work: How do you translate legal rules so that software can apply them in a traceable way? Teams choose one of five topics, each with tasks drawn directly from everyday work in the justice system.
- Never miss a deadline again: AI identifies critical deadlines early and predicts how proceedings will unfold.
- From defect to claim in 30 seconds: A language model checks whether a complaint is conclusive and sufficiently substantiated.
- Mold, noise, owner occupancy: AI supports tenancy disputes over rent reductions and lease terminations.
- Secure AI work protocols: standardized AI workflows with source requirements and human oversight.
- From file chaos to clear structure: timelines, relationship graphs, and contradiction analyses for complex investigation files.
Why mgm is taking part in the Legal Tech Hackathon Göttingen
For many years, we have been developing and testing specialized applications for public administration that embed extensive sets of rules. The same principle applies there as in the challenges: Every result has to be traceable, every assessment explainable. Even demanding domains like law can be tackled with AI, as long as domain logic and quality assurance are built in from the start.
For us, taking part is also about supporting the next generation. A digital justice system needs people who understand both worlds. In Göttingen, aspiring lawyers see their legal reasoning turn into a prototype. Computer science students quickly learn how much precision a legal text demands. That strengthens the digital transformation of public administration and, ultimately, Europe’s digital sovereignty.
“The justice system only works if the software behind it does: reliably, correctly, and for decades. Judges, prosecutors, and judicial officers can only do their jobs well if they can rely on their IT. We know these demands from tax administration, where we have built systems that deliver exactly that.”
Registration, details, and more information
- All event details: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/recht-trifft-code-ibm-legal-tech-hackathon-g%C3%B6ttingen-2026-thomas-h%C3%B6hn-ecxre/ (in German)
- eJustice Innovation Alliance: https://www.ejustice-innovation-alliance.de/ (in German)
- More about AI at mgm: https://www.mgm-tp.com/ai.html
- Careers at mgm technology partners: https://jobs.mgm-tp.com/en
