Symposium on Digitalisation of Justice in Germany and the Netherlands

On 29 May 2026, the symposium Digitalisation of Justice: Perspectives from Germany and the Netherlands will take place at the University of Groningen.

Organised by Benedikt Schmitz (University of Groningen), the symposium will bring together leading and upcoming scholars to explore how digital transformation – from AI in adjudication to fully online proceedings – is reshaping legal systems, while raising important questions about access to justice, procedural fairness and the rule of law.

The symposium will open with a keynote speech by Benjamin Grimm, Minister of Justice and for Digitalisation of the Federal State of Brandenburg, Germany.

The first expert panel on private international law will feature presentations by Susanne Lilian Gössl (University of Bonn), Frederick Rieländer (University of Bremen) and Kirsten Henckel (University of Groningen), with Benedikt Schmitz serving as moderator.

The second expert panel on civil procedure will include presentations by Gralf-Peter Calliess (University of Bremen) and Pauline Ernste (Radboud University), moderated by Patrick Koerts (University of Groningen).

The third panel on criminal procedure will feature presentations by Hannah Ofterdinger (University of Hamburg), Dorris de Vocht (University of Tilburg) and Laura Peters (University of Groningen), with Glenn Thodé (University of Groningen) serving as moderator.

The four panel on administrative Law will include presentations by Sarah Rachut (Technical University of Braunschweig) and Sofia Ranchordás (University of Tilburg and Luiss Guido Carli Rome), moderated by Varošanec (University of Groningen).

A final panel on justice in the digital age will feature presentations by emerging scholars: Serap Bilgin (FernUniversität Hagen), Noelle Funk (University Speyer), Sabrina Pölle (University of Passau), Constanze Rothermel (Free University of Berlin) and Anne Spijkstra (University of Tilburg).

Ample time will be reserved for discussion and networking, including coffee breaks, lunch, poster sessions and an optional conference dinner.

The symposium will be held in-person only. Attendance is free of charge. Registration is available via the following website.