A two-day hackathon in Beirut brought together legal professionals, technology specialists and entrepreneurs to develop digital solutions aimed at making Lebanon’s justice system more accessible, particularly for people who struggle to navigate court procedures or afford legal services.

The 2026 Lebanon Justice Hackathon was organized by the Hague Institute for Innovation of Law (HiiL) under the patronage of Lebanon’s Ministry of Justice, in cooperation with the Beirut Bar Association and local partner Berytech, with support from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The event brought together 16 teams comprising 64 participants from the fields of law, technology, artificial intelligence, design, entrepreneurship, research and public service. Working on a real-world challenge identified in cooperation with the Justice Ministry, the teams developed practical prototypes designed to improve the experience of court users and make essential information and guidance easier to access.

The challenge focused on helping people track their cases, understand the stage their proceedings had reached and identify the steps they needed to take. With Lebanese courts not yet digitized, access to such information can require repeated inquiries and visits to court offices. The proposed solutions aim to reduce that burden on both citizens and court clerks.

Justice Minister Adel Nassar, who sponsored the event, praised the Netherlands for its continued support for Lebanon’s justice sector. He highlighted projects aimed at improving the sector, particularly initiatives to strengthen communication between the judiciary and the public, support the Institute of Judicial Studies and provide training programs for judges.

Nassar said initiatives combining technology and justice offered an opportunity to improve legal services and help citizens exercise their rights.

But he cautioned that regulating society and ensuring access to justice were not the same thing. Although laws establish rules governing relations among individuals, their existence does not guarantee that everyone has an equal opportunity to understand them, benefit from them or seek redress.

“Equality before the law does not mean that everyone has the same resources,” Nassar said, pointing to differences in citizens’ educational and financial circumstances.

He invoked George Orwell’s famous line, “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others,” to illustrate the gap between equality as a legal principle and the realities people face.

Citizens who do not know their rights or cannot afford lawyers and court proceedings may be unable to obtain justice, he said. The state and relevant institutions therefore have a responsibility to raise legal awareness, explain people’s rights and help them find organizations that can provide assistance.

Nassar also pointed to efforts to bring associations, institutions and the Beirut Bar Association into a coordinated framework to help people find appropriate legal support. Depending on their needs, citizens could be directed to organizations offering legal advice, representation or assistance in following court procedures.

He called for a unified platform bringing together information on the services provided by relevant institutions and associations. Such a platform would make it easier for citizens to identify where to seek help, improve coordination among service providers and prevent resources and efforts from becoming fragmented.

Technology, Nassar stressed, should expand access to legal services rather than replace lawyers or diminish their role in defending clients and representing them in court. This was particularly important for people whose financial circumstances prevent them from obtaining legal assistance.

He said the effective use of technology, combined with cooperation among the state, professional bodies and civil society organizations, was essential to helping citizens.

To illustrate technology’s transformative power, Nassar recalled how the introduction of the remote control changed television viewing habits and forced broadcasters to improve their programming to retain audiences. It also accelerated the pace at which technology and information developed, significantly affecting societies.

Artificial intelligence, he argued, would have an even greater impact, ushering in a new world whose full implications remain unknown and transforming every field.

The legal sector, however, requires particular care because law is fundamentally about organizing human society, he said.

“Laws are made by human beings, who have their own flaws and limitations, and they are meant to govern people who also face difficulties and make mistakes,” Nassar said. “We must preserve the human dimension of the law. That is its essence. If we ignore it, we risk entering dangerous territory.”

“We must not replace people with artificial intelligence. Technology and AI should support human work, not take its place,” he added.

Nassar concluded by telling participants that their work was central to achieving that goal and aligned with the Justice Ministry’s efforts to bring together those working to improve access to justice.

He said their initiatives could play an important role in helping people obtain the support they need and ultimately lead better lives.