Biography

Matthew Dylag obtained his Ph.D. from Osgoode Hall Law School at York University in Toronto, Canada. His dissertation, entitled ‘Measuring Access to Civil Justice: An Empirical Study of Ontario’s Reform Initiatives’, examines conversations about legal problems that are posted to social media in order to assess whether current access to civil justice initiatives align with the actual legal needs of Canadians. This work drew on both qualitative and quantitative methods, to analyze sources of data that are rarely examined by legal scholars and comments on how technology can be used to improve access to justice in specific areas, such as the dissemination of legal information or the deployment of legal services.

As a Max Weber Fellow, Matthew will continue to study the intersection of access to justice and technology by examining the developing disconnect between legal technology and existing justice norms. Specifically, his project focuses on the automation of legal decision-making processes; it will contribute to larger conversations about the impact of such technology on democratic governance. As well as law and technology, Matthew is also interested in issues surrounding legal ethics, legal consciousness, and research methods.

Expertise for Teaching and Mentoring of Ph.D. Researchers
Matthew has taught classes in the areas of legal research and writing, civil procedure, evidence, and legal ethics at both the college and university level.