Legal technology products routinely use various algorithms to help lawyers with their work. So what exactly are algorithms and how are they used in the legal sector?

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, an algorithm is: “A process or set of rules to be followed in calculations or other problem-solving operations, especially by a computer.” These days, most algorithms are coded into computer software which is then often applied to large sets of data and used to perform a certain function. An example of a fairly simple algorithm is the software used to prompt GPs to send out specific alerts for various health screenings based on age and gender of their patients.

In the case of the exam debacle, the algorithmic software was designed to calculate grades for A-Level students based on a combination of teachers' predicted grades, a pupil's ranking compared to their peers, and school performance over three years. The fact that the algorithm was considered a failure had nothing to do with any mutation, but was instead simply down to poor design (in this case more likely as a result of the decisions of policy makers rather than bad programming).