About SCL
The Society for Computers and Law is the leading educational charity for the tech law community, with a UK-wide vision and global significance.
Our mission is to inform and educate legal and technology professionals, academics, students and the wider audience on the impact of IT on law and legal practice. SCL works to promote ideals of best practice, thought leadership, and the fostering of a global tech law community.
Useful Information
SCL President
Professor Richard Susskind CBE KC (Hon)
SCL Vice-President:
Mark O’Conor, Partner, DLA Piper (UK) LLP
SCL Trustees Chair:
Patricia Shaw, CEO, Beyond Reach
SCL Vice-Chair:
Sue McLean, Partner, Baker McKenzie LLP
Trustees:
Toby Crick, Partner, Bristows LLP
Matthew Lavy KC, 4 Pump Court
Mark Lumley, Consultant, Freeths
Dr Katherine Ramo, Of Counsel (Tech & Media), Head of Pro Bono Practice, Founder & Chair CMS ENABLE (disabilities & well-being) Network
Fernando Barrio, Senior Lecturer in Business Law and Director of International Engagement, School of Business and Management, Queen Mary University of London (QMUL)
Shelley Thomas, Associate General Counsel and Senior Vice President, Bank of America
Andy Crystal, Corporate Counsel – EMEA at Amazon Web Services
Anne Rose, Managing Associate and co-lead of the Blockchain Group, Mishcon de Reya
Minesh Tanna, Partner and Global AI Lead, Simmons & Simmons
Professor Sarah Green, Head of Digital Assets and Trade Finance, D2 Legal Technology | Professor of Private Law, University of Bristol
SCL Chief Executive
Caroline Gould
SCL Initiatives
SCL Adjudication Scheme (SCLA)
A three-month procedure for “technology” disputes – meaning any dispute arising from a contract for the provision of tech-related goods and services including software development contracts, outsourcing arrangements, systems integration contracts, IT consultancy contracts, software licensing agreements, blockchain/smart contracts and cloud computing contracts.
The scheme is the result of considerable work by a small and dedicated group of SCL members over the past two years, growing out of the SCL Better Contracts Initiative. The scheme was launched on 15 October 2019 in London.
Read more about the Scheme
SCL Mediation Scheme (SCLM)
The SCLM is a new mediation scheme for the resolution of technology disputes in England & Wales. It is intended to help achieve consensual resolution of “technology” disputes.
Developed by SCL members Paul Berwin and Damian Croker, the scheme provides a structured mediation process for resolving disputes arising from contracts for the provision of technology-related goods and services. This includes, but is not limited to, disputes involving software development, outsourcing, systems integration, IT consultancy, software licensing, blockchain/smart contracts, artificial intelligence, and cloud computing.
Read more about the Scheme
SCL AI for Schools
The SCL AI for Schools Programme is an outreach initiative aimed at helping underprivileged 6th form students, who may never have heard of tech law, consider a career in the sector.
It has been conceived by SCL Trustee Matthew Lavy, Barrister, 4 Pump Court and Iain Munro, Barrister, 4 Pump Court.
Read more about the initiative
Did You Know?
- The Society was established as a registered charity on 11 September 1973 under the leadership of its first President, Lord Scarman and celebrated its 50th Anniversary this year, 2023.
- One of SCL’s major achievements was the establishment of BAILII (British and Irish Legal Information Institute) following a meeting arranged by SCL in London on 8 November 1999.
- SCL was a founder member organisation of IFCLA (International Federation of Computer Law Associations) and hosted their biannual conference in Bath in 1994, Oxford in 2004 and London in 2016.
- Since its inception in 1973 SCL has attracted many enthusiastic and innovative leaders including Lord Scarman, Lord Saville, Sir Brian Neill, Sir Henry Brooke, Theodore Ruoff, Professor Richard Susskind OBE and Professor Christopher Reed amongst others.
If you would like to feature any SCL activities, require specialist comment from one of our members or are interested in a press pass for one of our events, please contact:
Maddie Southorn
SCL Relationships and Communications Manager
Email: maddie.southorn@scl.org