The Labour Relations Agency (LRA) is currently facing a backlog of more than 250,000 registered cases involving 30,000 anticipated claimants as a result of the UK Supreme Court ruling in Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland and another v Agnew and others [2023] UKSC 33.

In a bid to address the challenges, the LRA is partnering with Ulster University’s Centre for Legal Technology (CLT) and a Northern Ireland legal technology startup, TalkTerms, to deploy a new AI-powered case management system.

Mark McAllister, chief executive of the LRA, said: “The sheer scale of the miscalculated holiday pay claims means we must rethink our approach to case management.

“By working with Ulster University and TalkTerms, we are building the capabilities needed to deliver our services more effectively and sustainably into the future.”

John Keers BL, director of the Centre for Legal Technology, added: “This partnership highlights how academic expertise, public sector leadership, and entrepreneurial agility can come together to deliver real societal impact.

“We are passionate about solving complex challenges through innovation, and this project is a significant step towards transforming digital dispute resolution.”

Gary Lyons, CEO of TalkTerms, said: “We are honoured to partner with the Centre for Legal Technology at Ulster University and the LRA to showcase how our platform can revolutionise dispute resolution.

“This initiative allows us to scale our technology responsibly, ensuring it not only meets business needs but also contributes to the greater good by streamlining access to justice, enhancing public sector services and in using our ‘Swift Care’ platform to harness technology for meaningful societal impact.”