Suffolk University Law School’s Legal Innovation & Technology (LIT) Center partnered with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to host a Generative AI Hackathon on October 17 at AWS’s Seaport office in Boston. The event brought together law students, technologists, and prospective students for a day of hands-on experimentation and creative problem-solving—resulting in prototypes of tools like MA Debt Guardian, a consumer-facing AI assistant designed to help individuals understand and act on their rights under Massachusetts debt collection law.

The hackathon was coordinated by Professor Dyane O’Leary, Director of Suffolk Law’s LIT Center, and alumnus Morris Singer, JD ’10, a member of the AWS business applications group. Professor of Legal Writing Chanal Neves-McCain also joined as a participant.

Teams built their prototypes using PartyRock and Quick Suite, among other AWS tools designed to make AI experimentation accessible without deep coding experience. Participants learned how these platforms can be safely and effectively adapted for legal workflows—balancing innovation with professional responsibility.

Three creative prototypes emerged from the collaboration:

MA Debt Guardian: A chat-based assistant that helps users identify potential debt collection violations under Massachusetts law. It offers plain-language guidance, draft correspondence, and referrals to local legal aid—supporting self-represented individuals in asserting their rights.

LLSeeMore Business Entity Selection Advisor: An interactive tool to guide clients and attorneys through entity formation choices under state law, featuring dual interfaces—an advanced version for lawyers and a simplified version for clients—with optional business plan uploads and tailored implementation checklists.

Evolving Pricing & Business Models Agent: A prototype AI assistant that analyzes law firm financial and client data to generate and track alternative pricing options (fixed, hybrid, or outcome-based) promoting transparency and predictability in client billing and creative new legal service delivery pricing.

“The experience was fantastic,” said Tony Espinal, a Suffolk LIT student experiencing his first hackathon. “The workshop gave me some ideas on how I might start using AI as part of my own career. Building out the workflows inspired some of my own projects I’d like to work on in the future.”

Through its collaboration with AWS, the LIT Center continues to offer students practical, ethical, and creative opportunities to explore AI in legal work.

The school’s commitment to innovation has earned national recognition. National Jurist recently named Suffolk Law among 12 of the most innovative law schools in the country, citing its pioneering Legal Innovation & Technology programs and real-world impact. Bloomberg Law has also twice honored Suffolk Law as a “Top Innovator” for its forward-thinking curriculum and partnerships with courts and legal aid organizations. The AWS Hackathon is the latest example of the school’s hands-on, tech-driven approach to legal education.