Mark O’Conor and Nick de Lacy Brown, co-chairs of the revived Public Sector Tech Group, on the reasons for the initiative and what the Group seeks to achieve.
There has never been a more exciting time to work in technology law – we all know that. But it is not just the private sector taking an interest in this space. For the public sector, there is a huge appetite to learn from sector experts, to benefit from the innovations and to work out how to govern and regulate the technology at pace. We have shared concerns around cyber resilience, data governance, the direction and pace of AI, and the importance of sustainability and social value. At the same time, the public sector is also seeking out the opportunities tech provides to streamline governance, the justice system, the collection of tax, the development of medicines and so much more. In short, there was never a better and more important time for the public sector to understand tech and the legal framework it operates within.
That is why we have recently relaunched the Public Sector Tech Group, a new sub-group of the SCL which will be entirely focused on technology through a public sector lens, whether that be in dialogue with central government bodies, local authorities, or the burgeoning community of suppliers working, or seeking to work, for the public sector. We have our sights set beyond the UK too, seeking to learn lessons from public bodies around the globe.
We will do all of this through three main pillars of work:
- First, through a series of regular and special edition publications focusing on the public sector narrative in technology law, of which this special focus section in Computers & Law magazine is the first. Analysis of important issues such as information architecture, the impending Procurement Act and cyber resilience shows the breadth of scope the Group will encompass. We will be looking to follow through with regular columns from a public sector perspective, keeping the governmental narrative strong across all areas of the Society’s portfolio.
- Secondly, we will hold regular events which look to provide an opportunity for members of the public sector community, both inside and outside of government, to come together and discuss areas which matter most; to share innovations and ideas; highlight risks arising from new technologies and opportunities; and of course, to learn from each other. We are hoping to kick this off with a conference in early 2025, which if successful, we will look to hold annually. This will be followed by webinars and segments in other SCL events – all with a public sector focus.
- Thirdly, we will be focusing on a public relations wing of the Group, which will represent the SCL in public sector fora, responding officially to government consultations and representing our members in public debates. We will be looking to build bridges and collaborative relationships with key public sector figures and organisations, utilising those relationships to contribute meaningful perspectives to our publications, and our events.
To help us with this ambitious agenda of work, we have already gathered together an impressive array of colleagues from across central government, academia, law firms, chambers, consultancies and public sector suppliers. It’s testament to everyone’s growing sense of the importance of this work that such an incredible band has come together to support this, and we are so grateful for their time and efforts in getting the Public Sector Tech Group off the ground.
But these are early days, and as well as kick-starting the conversation in this edition of the magazine, we are keen to hear from you on how we might instigate a dynamic and effective programme of events, publications and conversations which drive forward the Group’s agenda and ambition. If any of you have any ideas you are keen to share or would like to get involved in anyway, please do get in touch.
Mark O’Conor has over 20 years’ experience of helping public and private sector clients with all aspects of IT law, particularly cloud and digital transformation, public procurement and outsourcing.
Nicholas De Lacy-Brown is a commercial technology and data privacy lawyer with a core focus on complex, transformational technology projects, outsourcing transactions and cybersecurity.
