As part of the Decade of science and technology, strategic national priorities of scientific and technological development, Kazan Innovative University named after V. G. Timiryasov hosted the largest in Russia and CIS countries International scientific and practical conference “Digital Technologies and Law”, which brought together thousands of participants from dozens of countries.

This large-scale event has been organized during three years in a row by Kazan Innovative University named after V. G. Timiryasov and the Ministry of Digital Development of State Administration, Information Technologies and Communications of the Republic of Tatarstan with the assistance of Rifkat Minnikhanov, President of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tatarstan, Chairman of the Council of the Association for Assistance to Digital Development of the Republic of Tatarstan. The conference is held under the aegis of the International Forum Kazan Digital Week, organized this year by the Russian Government together with the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Tatarstan.

Representatives of different branches of legal science and practice, authorities and businesses gathered at the conference to discuss topical issues related to mechanisms for ensuring the legal regime of rapidly developing digital technologies. Among the speakers were world-renowned scholars, recognized specialists and experts in the field of digital technologies and law from Russia and more than 25 foreign countries.

The Conference Presidium included prominent representatives of the authorities, academic and research circles: Minister of Digital Development of Public Administration, Information Technologies and Communications of the Republic of Tatarstan Ayrat Khayrullin; Rector of Kazan Innovative University Asiya Timiryasova; Honored Lawyer of the Republic of Tatarstan, Chief Researcher of the Research Institute of Digital Technologies and Law Ildar Begishev; Production Director of the “Garant” company Natalia Tkachenko; Vice President of the Federal Chamber of Lawyers of the Russian Federation, Chief Digital Transformation Officer, Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Law of the National Research University Higher School of Economics Elena Avakyan.

The Conference program committee included leading Russian experts in the field of law and digital technologies (I. R. Begishev (chairperson), E. A. Gromova (deputy chairperson), M. V. Zaloiloilo (deputy chairperson), I. A. Filipova (deputy chairperson), A. A. Shutova (deputy chairperson), M. S. Ablameyko, L. L. Arzumanova, M. A. Bazhina, D. V. Bakhteev, K. M. Belikova, D. D. Bersey, M. A. Efremova, A. V. Yorsh, A. K. Zharova, R. R. Ziganshin, S. A. Zuykov, G. G. Kamalova, N. I. Kiseleva, N. N. Kovaleva, S.A. Kopylov, A. V. Minbaleev, S. M. Mironova, S. A. Murataev, K. D. Muratov, N. D. Muratova, D. A. Pashentsev, T. A. Polyakova, K. A. Ponomareva, B. Zh. Rakhmetov, M. A. Rozhkova, E. A. Russkevich, M. V. Samartseva, E. L. Sidorenko, L. V. Terentyeva, E. V. Talapina, N. V. Tkachenko, K. L. Tomashevsky, D. U. Utegen, Yu. S. Kharitonova, and I. V. Shakhnovskaya).

Representatives of different branches of legal science and practice, as well as authorities made welcoming speeches at the Conference opening.

Albert Yakovlev, Deputy Minister of Digital Development of Public Administration, Information Technologies and Communications of the Republic of Tatarstan, emphasized the need to introduce relevant technologies in public administration and the importance of participation in the conference to ensure their effectiveness.

Alexey Pesoshin, Prime Minister of the Republic of Tatarstan, sent greetings to the Conference participants. He marked that the Conference has established itself as an authoritative international platform for comprehensive discussion and joint development of solutions on the widest range of legal issues. “The platform allows legal professionals – both practitioners and scholars – to consider the latest trends in digitalization. It helps adapt the established science and current practice to the new realities in terms of transforming the traditional sectors and incorporating more and more spheres of social relations into digitalization,” the greeting reads.

Asiya Timiryasova, Rector of Kazan Innovative University, noted the relevance of the issues discussed and the importance of the conference as a platform for developing important solutions at the intersection of innovation and law. She also spoke about the achievements of the University in the field of digitalization, emphasizing that Kazan Innovative University has been actively using distance learning technologies for more than 25 years, as well as conducting research on digitalization in the field of public governance and in various sectors of the economy.

“We have patented our in-house solution – electronic document management and university management system “IDIS”. We also tested the introduction of digital methods of education and socialization of people with disabilities. Our legal scholars take an active part in forming and improving the legal environment for the development of digital technologies”, added the Rector.

Natalia Tkachenko, Production Director at GARANT and Editor-in-Chief of “Zakonodatelstvo” (“Legislation”) Journal, highlighted that digital technologies give a powerful impetus to the development of law. She expressed hope that the Conference would touch upon such issues as the effective use of neural networks, assessment of their performance and areas in which these solutions can be applied.

Elena Avakyan, Vice President of the Federal Chamber of Lawyers of the Russian Federation and Chief Digital Transformation Officer (CDTO), emphasized that digital transformation affects each of us. She noted that law should adapt to the new realities to ensure the protection of the rights and freedoms of citizens under the changing relations and data volumes. Avakyan also drew attention to the fact that the bar is facing new challenges under digitalization. The amount of offline crime is decreasing, while online crime is growing. At the same time, lawyers must be immersed in technology to effectively work for their clients.

A space for lively scientific communication and discussion of the most topical issues on digital technologies and law was organized within the basic sections, which have become a regular feature of the Conference: “Digital technologies in the system of theoretical-historical legal sciences”, “Digital technologies in the system of public-legal (state-legal) relations”, “Digital technologies in the system of private-legal (civilistic) relations”, “Digital technologies in the system of criminal-legal relations”, “Digital technologies in the system of international-legal relations”, “Digital technologies in the system of legal relations” (section for Bachelor and Master students), “Digital technologies and law” (section in the English language), and “Multidisciplinary aspects of digital transformation” (non-legal section)

No less interesting were the special sections: “Regulating relations in the sphere of artificial intelligence and robotics”, “Digital technologies and human rights”, “Digital security and law”, “Law of quantum technologies”, “Digital technologies in the system of financial and taxation legal relations”, “Digital technologies in the system of labor and adjacent relations”, “Legal regulation of digital technologies in healthcare”, and “Legal regulation of intelligent transportation systems”.

For the first time, the Conference held partner sections: “LegalTech: generative models in the professional activity of a lawyer”, “DigitalFamilyLaw: digital technologies in family legal relations”, “Law of digital platforms”, “Digital products and services: legal aspects”, “Digital technologies and intellectual rights”, and “Digital technologies in investigating crimes”

All papers presented at the Conference will be published in electronic form and subsequently posted on the RSCI platform and on the Conference website.

The results of the “Digital Technologies and Law” Conference will be reflected in the resolution, which will be sent to the leading scientific and educational centers of the country, as well as federal public authorities.

The conference partners were: Garant, Journal of Digital Technologies and Law, Russian Journal of Economics and Law, Coordination Center of .ru/.rf domains, Zuykov and partners, IP CLUB, Hitech, Analytical Center of Criminal Law and Criminology, ICT-Online.ru, ICT2GO.ru, National Association of Robotics Market Participants (NARMP), Association of Legal Historians, it-world.ru, technovery.com, Infotropic Media, ICT2go, “Sudya” Journal, “Tsivilist” Journal, Russian Agency for Legal and Judicial Information (RAPSI) and others.