Law specialist group: Candidate election statements

Committee position applied for: 

General committee member for special interest in IT practitioners involved in expert witness work and associations with liaison with related professional groups.

Statement

My background is in mathematics. I started my career applying mathematical and computer techniques to industrial research problems. From there I moved into software development of a mixture of technical and commercial applications.

In 1995, I started acting as an expert witness and now have a practice in civil and criminal disputes. Along the way, I became Chairman of The Academy of Experts, the first of the learned societies for expert witnesses across professions, and a qualified arbitrator.

My interest is contributing as an IT practitioner, experienced in the interface between technical and legal expertise, as these are both changing rapidly.

Committee position applied for:

General committee member, for Programme Development & IT Professionalism.

Statement

I am a Medallist, BCS IT Consultant of the Year, an independent ICT expert witness, consultant, mediator and arbitrator. A member of the LSG and on its Committee for many years, I have pioneered, and continue to bring a vision to IT Law and BCS Law, insights in regard to admissibility, reliability and security of computer evidence (The Appeal Report 1990), Forensic Systems Analysis (particularly the legally-accepted protocol for determining a software material defect), IT Professionalism, Crypto and Blockchain probity, AI Ethics, and Government by Algorithm.

A past Correspondent of CLSR, my paper ‘Forensic Systems Analysis:... Avoidance of IT Disasters and Disputes’ is a Cutter Consortium Executive Report (3, 2, March 8, 2006). My article, ‘The future decisions of RoboJudge HHJ Arthur Ian Blockchain: Dread, delight or derision?’, CLSR, 34, 4, August 2018, 739-753, notes that “You cannot construct an algorithm that will reliably decide whether or not any algorithm is ethical”

Committee position applied for:

Chair

Statement

I am a solicitor, a partner at the 6th largest law firm in the world, CMS and specialise in technology law and data protection. I have been named in the Who’s Who of Information Technology 2020, the Who’s Who of Data Privacy and Protection 2020, and the Who’s Who of Data Security 2020 as one of the world’s leading lawyers in those areas of law. I am also listed in Who’s Who Legal: Thought Leaders – Global Elite 2020.

I am on the Council of BCS, the Society Board and a Trustee of BCS. My motivation to be the Chair of the BCS Law Group is my strong conviction that the legal challenges and opportunities posed by new technologies must be addressed in a debate involving both technology and legal experts. I would use my wide network of contacts to ensure that members of the BCS Law Group get access to the latest thought leadership and have the opportunity to debate and contribute to the technology and law issues.

Committee position applied for:

• Secretary, Membership secretary
• General committee member

Statement

In the IT world, every professional paves a path. The path is never easy. The technology constantly changes and the IT professionals understand early that a lot of skills are needed; like the need to know the relevant legal frame, an eye for innovation, the ability for digital transformation and the right IT skills and people management. Internet and jurisdiction, cyberlaw, data protection and data control, electronic signatures are only few of the important IT legal areas for any IT professional. Fintech is also emerging without a solid legal frame. It is to the interest of every IT professional to acquire better knowledge and expertise on these areas from specialists of the field and BCS Law SG can help in this direction.

Committee position applied for:

General committee member, happy to do near diversity if required.

Statement

As a CISSP I have to keep my law and other technical security knowledge up to date, adding to the profession where possible. While I may only put a consistent 2 hours a week into Law specific projects my general security research is in the order of 20 hours a week, continuously reading from open sources (SANS, Infowarrior, Linked)

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Committee position applied for:

Chair BCS Law SG or in any vacancies position.

Statement

I am keenly interested to be part of the committee where there's a vacancy position due to the fact that currently studying in University of Salford for MSc International Business with Law and British Institute of International and Comparative Law in International Investment Law and Dispute Resolution.

I will abide with the rules of engagement and protect the fellow committee members throughout the year and beyond. I will propagate one spirit to collaborate, coordinates and unification among the members to have a robustly successful tenure.

Committee position applied for:

Treasurer

Statement

I am willing to stand as Treasurer again. I retired from Staffordshire University as an Enterprise Reader in 2009 after a varied career in IT, spanning 46 years, including programming, systems analysis, project management, marketing, consulting and expert witness. I find the Law SG an excellent way to maintain my knowledge.

I have been Treasurer for approx 25 years and am aware of BCS Financial and Administrative processes. I have also received training in Panopto and continue to practice these skills for the benefit of this SG. Member 097566 since 1968 approx.

Committee position applied for:

General committee member

Statement

The focus of my work for many years has been the tension between legislation and behaviour related to online safeguarding, and associated issues such as offensive communication, image-based abuse, privacy and data protection. In this work I have seen many poor attempts to use the law to control technology to tackle social problems.

As a result, my view of IT law is that it needs to be something that empowers, rather than limits, the IT sector, and that the legislative process requires greater input from those who understand legislation but also, crucially, the capabilities of digital technology. I would hope the Law SG can be an objective “go to” voice for issues related to digital tech and legislation. I can bring an evidence led, and constructive, voice to the committee in helping it move toward this goal.

Committee position applied for:

Chair

Statement

How I propose to lead BCS Law next year

• Parallel planning: key, year-long themes & instant response to emerging themes
• Listen to all, consult widely outside of committee and fully delegate with transparent objectives, mandates and outcomes
• Internally: abolish email communications; externally disseminate know-how widely via multiple media
• Release weekly legal bulletins as IT now alerts
• Seek international collaboration for talks and publications