DrSarah Stephens
Associate Professor in Legal Innovation (Law)
School of Law, Politics and Sociology
- Associate Professor in Legal Innovation (Law)School of Law, Politics and Sociology
- +44 (0)1273 606755 Ext.5870 (Work)
BIO
Sarah Stephens is a trail blazer in the field of technology and access to justice. With over a decade of experience as a commercial lawyer at international law firms including Clifford Chance, Linklaters and Kennedys, she brings technical expertise and insights to her research in legal innovation.
Passionate about the application of law for social change, she transitioned from legal practice into international development with KPMG in East Africa, where she managed a portfolio of justice, education, and economic growth programs. Her focus on promoting economic equality and social justice laid the foundation for her interest in leveraging technology for societal advancement and access to justice.
For the past six years, Sarah has been in demand as an independent consultant, spearheading projects that converge access to justice, gender equality, and technology for development. Her clients, include several UN agencies, the World Bank, The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, Save the Children, The British Council, GIZ, and various NGOs and technology companies where she developed several justice technology interventions that support justice seekers in the UK and in Tanzania. In recognition of her contributions, she was awarded the Tech4Good-Africa Award (Comic Relief) in 2021, Santander Elevate Grants in 2021 and 2023, and was a Start-Up Sussex Prize winner in 2023.
Sarah Stephens actively shapes the future of legal services as a member of the Online Procedure Rules Committee to which she was appointed by the Lord Chancellor in 2023. In this role, she champions the needs of lay users of the justice system, promoting digital inclusion and user-centered design, while supporting the transition of the civil justice system towards online services. As a trustee of the Access to Justice Foundation she extends her impact beyond academia, advocating for increased justice spending to promote access to justice and social transformation.
She has recently joined the Law School at the University of Sussex where she is conducting research into the future of justice services, leveraging a range of technology to increase access to justice for society.
Passionate about the application of law for social change, she transitioned from legal practice into international development with KPMG in East Africa, where she managed a portfolio of justice, education, and economic growth programs. Her focus on promoting economic equality and social justice laid the foundation for her interest in leveraging technology for societal advancement and access to justice.
For the past six years, Sarah has been in demand as an independent consultant, spearheading projects that converge access to justice, gender equality, and technology for development. Her clients, include several UN agencies, the World Bank, The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, Save the Children, The British Council, GIZ, and various NGOs and technology companies where she developed several justice technology interventions that support justice seekers in the UK and in Tanzania. In recognition of her contributions, she was awarded the Tech4Good-Africa Award (Comic Relief) in 2021, Santander Elevate Grants in 2021 and 2023, and was a Start-Up Sussex Prize winner in 2023.
Sarah Stephens actively shapes the future of legal services as a member of the Online Procedure Rules Committee to which she was appointed by the Lord Chancellor in 2023. In this role, she champions the needs of lay users of the justice system, promoting digital inclusion and user-centered design, while supporting the transition of the civil justice system towards online services. As a trustee of the Access to Justice Foundation she extends her impact beyond academia, advocating for increased justice spending to promote access to justice and social transformation.
She has recently joined the Law School at the University of Sussex where she is conducting research into the future of justice services, leveraging a range of technology to increase access to justice for society.