This talk will discuss how Clojure/script was used by a small team to create advanced drafting software for lawyers. It will first outline how lawyers currently draft contracts, and why this is a primarily manual process that has been almost resistant to real automation. It will then describe why Clojure/script was chosen, how its proclaimed benefits turned out in practice, and how Clojure/script was instrumental in transforming the software from a rough idea into a demo and then actual product. The talk concludes with pitfalls encountered and honest lessons learned.

About Maarten: Maarten is a former IT lawyer, who used to work in a global international law firm and then as inhouse legal counsel in the financial sector. As a lawyer, he is specialised in data protection law, technology legislation and drafting licensing and outsourcing agreements. Displeased with the repetitive tasks involved in drafting complex legal documents, he created a startup (ClauseBase) that develops innovative contract drafting software.

Innovation in an immutable industry: Clojure in law