On October 24, more than 40 of British Columbia’s leading justice, technology, and civic innovators gathered at McCarthy Tétrault’s downtown Vancouver offices for The Justice Hack’s 2025 VIP Reception. The evening brought together voices from across the ecosystem—from the Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General, to law-society leaders, government representatives, senior technologists, and access-to-justice champions.
The room buzzed with the same energy that drives the hackathon itself: a shared belief that technology, collaboration, and creative problem-solving can make our justice system work better for everyone.
Speakers reflected on how far the movement has come and how much opportunity still lies ahead. McCarthy Tétrault’s CIO Matthew Peters spoke to the firm’s commitment to innovation in the legal sector, while government and community leaders emphasized the importance of connecting institutions, innovators, and the public to accelerate access-to-justice reform.
This gathering was a cornerstone of our community-building work. It forged new relationships between public servants, private-sector leaders, and justice-system stakeholders who are ready to roll up their sleeves and co-create better pathways to justice. The Justice Hack’s mission has always been to connect people who wouldn’t normally share a table; this night made clear how powerful those connections can be.
As the city’s lights glowed, conversations turned to the weekend ahead: two days of rapid prototyping, mentorship, and imagination focused on employment and workplace rights—the everyday legal issues that affect paycheques, safety, and dignity at work.
With this kind of leadership in the room, the future of access to justice in British Columbia looks bright.
Stay tuned for highlights from the hackathon itself—and for our upcoming Special Thanks & Awards feature celebrating the mentors, judges, volunteers, and partners who make this community thrive.