Law, Technology, and Government Conference

April 15-17 2026

Faculty of Law & Faculty of Business and Economics, University of Auckland

Registration Opens Jan 2026

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About the Event

ALTeR's Inaugural Conference

We bring together leading academics, innovators, regulators, partners in law firms, and other extraordinary minds from all over the world to Auckland to address the most recent legal research and industry developments in the field of law and technology.

Our Inaugural Conference examines the role of government in navigating technological change through three critical lenses:

(1) Enabling Innovation – How can government foster and support responsible innovation?

(2) Regulatory Choices – When should the government regulate emerging technologies, and when should it allow common law principles to evolve organically?

(3) Procurement & Implementation – How should the government approach the acquisition and deployment of new technologies?

The Conference combines diverse formats over three days, including presentations, panel discussions, knowledge-sharing keynotes, and interactive workshops—featuring sessions on protecting safe spaces for innovation and regulatory experimentation. Participants can request attendance certificates and CPD credits.

Event Highlights

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Early Stage Career Researchers Forum

Inclusive and supportive space for emerging scholars (PhDs, postdocs, lecturers) to present their work, receive constructive feedback from senior academics, and expand their professional networks.

Early Stage Career Researchers Forum

Inclusive and supportive space for emerging scholars (PhDs, postdocs, lecturers) to present their work, receive constructive feedback from senior academics, and expand their professional networks.

Call for Abstracts

We invite early stage career researchers to submit abstracts that explore the opportunities and challenges at the intersection of law, technology, and sustainability. We particularly welcome submissions that address:

Technology Governance and Regulation: Legal frameworks for emerging technologies, regulatory innovation, digital compliance, and the role of law in fostering responsible innovation
Big Tech Accountability: Corporate governance, competition law, platform regulation, and mechanisms to enhance transparency and accountability of technology companies
Digital Finance and Investment: Fintech regulation, cryptocurrency and blockchain, algorithmic trading, retail investor protection, and the democratisation of financial services
Artificial Intelligence and Algorithms: Legal and ethical implications of AI, algorithmic decision-making, bias and fairness, transparency and explainability
Data Governance and Privacy: Data protection frameworks, digital rights, data sovereignty, and the balance between innovation and privacy
Public Procurement of Technology: Government acquisition of innovative technologies, procurement law reform, transparency in tech procurement
Sustainability and Technology: Environmental impact of digital technologies, technology for climate action, circular economy in tech, and sustainable innovation
Interdisciplinary Approaches: Methods and frameworks that bridge law, technology, business, and policy to address complex socio-technical challenges

Important Information

Location: Auckland Law School, University of Auckland, Auckland, New ZealandParticipation in the PhD Forum: By invitation only. Free of charge (the University of Auckland does not cover travel or accommodation costs)

Key Deadlines

Abstract Submission Deadline: 31 January 2026
Notification of Acceptance: 8 February 2026
Full Paper Submission: 31 March 2026

Submission Requirements

Please submit an abstract of a maximum of 500 words that clearly outlines:

Research question or objective
Methodology or approach
Key findings or expected contributions
Relevance to law, technology, and/or sustainability

Abstracts should be submitted to: alter@auckland.ac.nz

Include the following information with your submission:

Full name and affiliation
Current academic status (e.g., PhD candidate, early career researcher)
Contact email
Research area/discipline
Whether you will submit a full paper (optional; 3,500-5,000 words)

Contact

For inquiries about the Early Stage Career Researchers Forum, please contact:
Professor Alexandra Andhov at alexandra.andhov@auckland.ac.nz

We look forward to welcoming you to Auckland for this exciting opportunity to share your research and engage with the ALTeR community!

Wed, April 15, 2026

09:00 AM to 2:00 PM

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AI & Financial Advice Workshop

By invitation only

AI & Financial Advise Workshop

By invitation only

Learn More

In partnership with the Financial Markets Authority (FMA), this expert roundtable tackles one of financial regulation’s most complex challenges: AI in financial advice. As algorithms increasingly influence investment decisions and client recommendations, fundamental questions arise about responsibility, transparency, and trust.

Leading academics from the University of Auckland, Monash University, and Singapore Management University will facilitate discussions among regulators from various jurisdictions, financial service providers, and legal practitioners. We will examine whether existing regulatory frameworks can accommodate AI advisors, how to ensure accountability when algorithms make recommendations, and what protections consumers need in this new landscape.

By invitation only. Please contact us at alter@auckland.ac.nz if you have any questions.

Wed, April 15, 2026

1:30 PM to 4:00 PM

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Professor Alexandra Andhov's Inaugural Lecture

Join us to celebrate with Professor Alexandra Andhov as she delivers her inaugural professorial lecture on the existential challenge of Big Tech’s influence on democratic governance.

Professor Alexandra Andhov's Inaugural Lecture

Join us to celebrate with Professor Alexandra Andhov as she delivers her inaugural professorial lecture on the existential challenge of Big Tech’s influence on democratic governance.

Digital Babel: Law, Tech and Human Connection

Big Tech’s algorithms and AI systems have become the invisible architecture of modern life—curating what we see, shaping who we connect with, and determining which information reaches us. These systems do not merely facilitate communication; they mediate our access to people, knowledge, and our perception of reality itself.

This is our Modern Babel—where meaning flows through “tech interpreters” that, though technologically impressive, cannot comprehend. When corporate structures designed for industrial production govern entities constructing our information infrastructure, urgent questions emerge about power, accountability, and what legal frameworks can address this unprecedented challenge.

Professor Andhov explores where AI’s limitations, corporate power, and democratic society collide.

Wed, April 15, 2026

6:00 PM to 8:00 PM

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Main Conference Day 1

Day 1 – Foundations & Frameworks Day establishes the conference’s core themes, examining government’s multifaceted role in the technology landscape—from enabling innovation to making critical regulatory choices to procuring technology responsibly.

Through keynotes, panels, and discussions, we explore whether existing legal principles can govern emerging technologies or whether entirely new frameworks are needed, featuring discussions on crypto asset regulation, AI in financial advice, and the fundamental relationship between law, technology, and democratic society.

Main Conference Day 1

Day 1 – Foundations & Frameworks Day establishes the conference’s core themes, examining government’s multifaceted role in the technology landscape—from enabling innovation to making critical regulatory choices to procuring technology responsibly.

Through keynotes, panels, and discussions, we explore whether existing legal principles can govern emerging technologies or whether entirely new frameworks are needed, featuring discussions on crypto asset regulation, AI in financial advice, and the fundamental relationship between law, technology, and democratic society.

Agenda

Keynote Address: Law, Tech and Government

Panel 1: Old Guard for New Tech

Leading scholars from across the APAC region examine whether established legal principles—from equity and tort to internet law—can effectively govern emerging technologies, or whether novel challenges demand entirely new regulatory approaches.

Panel 2: How Can Law Support Innovation in NZ?

Ken Singer, Director of the Berkeley Center for Entrepreneurship, shares insights from Silicon Valley’s ecosystem before joining Aotearoa’s innovation and legal leaders to explore how New Zealand can create legal frameworks that enable rather than hinder technological advancement.

Fireside Chat: Government’s Role in Innovation

A Minister and leading entrepreneur join the Director of the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation for an intimate conversation exploring how government can foster, support, and sometimes step back from innovation.

Panel 3: Public Procurement of Technology

Scholars, practitioners, and public officials examine the critical challenges of government technology procurement—exploring how procurement processes can simultaneously drive innovation and safeguard individual rights and public interests.

Thu, April 16, 2026

8:30 AM to 6:00 PM

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Main Conference Day 2

Day 2 – Practice & Protection Day shifts to implementation and impact, beginning with legal tech providers showcasing AI-enhanced tools while candidly discussing associated risks. We tackle the regulation versus governance debate, explore AI’s dual nature in creativity—both generative and disruptive—and examine online safety protections for vulnerable populations.

The day balances technological possibility with human concerns, asking how we preserve security, privacy, humanity, and safety as AI reshapes our digital world.

Main Conference Day 2

Day 2 – Practice & Protection Day shifts to implementation and impact, beginning with legal tech providers showcasing AI-enhanced tools while candidly discussing associated risks. We tackle the regulation versus governance debate, explore AI’s dual nature in creativity—both generative and disruptive—and examine online safety protections for vulnerable populations.

The day balances technological possibility with human concerns, asking how we preserve security, privacy, humanity, and safety as AI reshapes our digital world.

Agenda

Tech Showcase + Discussion: Security, Privacy & Reliability

Leading legal tech providers demonstrate their latest AI-enhanced tools, then join a candid discussion about the risks they rarely advertise—examining security vulnerabilities, reliability concerns, and privacy implications inherent in AI-powered legal technology.

Panel 4: Regulating AI vs. Governing AI

Legal and tech experts debate a fundamental question: Are voluntary governance frameworks sufficient to safeguard against AI risks, or do we need binding regulation to ensure responsible development and deployment?

Panel 5: AI, Humanity & Creativity

Exploring both sides of AI’s creative revolution—showcasing stunning AI-enhanced art while confronting its impact on artists, artistic expression, and the essential question of how we preserve humanity in increasingly AI-driven creative futures.

Panel 6: AI and Online Safety (with Netsafe)

Co-organised with Netsafe, this panel examines Aotearoa’s recent developments in online safety policy and practice, focusing on protecting everyone—especially the most vulnerable—in an AI-amplified digital environment.

Networking and Drinks