Alan Larkin
Solicitor, Head of Product Innovation at Nova
Co-Founder of Family Law Partners
A family law solicitor of nearly 30 years’ standing, Alan co-founded Family Law Partners, an employee-owned firm of 35 family specialists.
Alan’s passion for access to justice led him to create his own digital assets to assist litigants in person. In 2017, Alan secured a Knowledge Transfer Partnership with the University of Brighton, supported by Innovate UK to apply AI in the family law sphere. This partnership was awarded the ‘Best of the Best’ accolade for business impact by Innovate UK in 2020.
One of Alan’s AI applications, Nova Engage, has been used by over 20,000 members of the public to instruct their family solicitors for a first consultation.
In 2024, the AI know-how created by Family Law Partners was spun out into a law tech start-up called Nova. The primary focus is to exploit decades of family law experience to build freely-available, digital early intervention agents for out-of-court dispute resolution, and AI-facilitated pathways to regulated legal advice.
Day 2 - Alan Larkin | Breakout
AI, Access to Justice and the Future of Family Law Practice: The Nova Law Model
Who it will interest
Family lawyers, mediators, judges, legal innovators, practice managers, ADR professionals and legal academics
What this session is about
Family law is at a turning point. Rising costs, emotional complexity and increasing demand for accessible support are placing pressure on traditional service models. At the same time, artificial intelligence and digital tools are reshaping how clients engage with legal professionals.
Alan will introduce the Nova Law model, a technology enabled approach designed to improve access to justice while preserving professional judgement and ethical standards. Rather than replacing lawyers, Nova Law integrates AI driven assessments and structured digital processes to support early engagement, improve information gathering and reduce unnecessary escalation.
Key themes
The access to justice gap in family law
Responsible integration of AI in legal practice
Early client engagement and structured digital intake
Reducing emotional and financial barriers to advice
Ethical considerations and professional oversight
The future business model of family law firms
What delegates will gain
Insight into how AI can support rather than replace legal professionals
Practical understanding of technology enabled client onboarding
Confidence evaluating digital tools within their own practice
Awareness of ethical and regulatory considerations
A clearer vision of sustainable, accessible family law delivery
How it connects to other sessions
Extends the conference conversation from individual case management to the future architecture of family justice and professional practice.