Delia Chin - 'Outstanding Individual Contribution’ Award Winner

In this blog written for Pro Bono Week 2025, award winner Delia Chin shares her thanks and experiences of working on the Legal Technology Project.

When I began the Open Justice Project module, I never imagined that a project I designed to support parents through the EHCP process would win an award or attract the attention of a charity. Participating in this project was one of the most transformative experiences of my law degree. It deepened my understanding of legal technology and access to justice. It also reshaped my knowledge of how the two could be blended to support families navigating complex systems, such as the legalities around Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

For my project, I designed and developed a legal chatbot to help guide parents through the Education, Health, and Care Plan (EHCP) process. This idea stemmed from the frustrations I observed as a parent of a child with SEND, mainly feeling overwhelmed by legal terms and inconsistent support. Having experienced the EHCP process, I know how confusing and complex it is.

My goal was ambitious and personal; I wanted my chatbot to make legal information accessible, user-friendly, and empowering for the parents and caregivers of children with SEND. I had to draw on multiple skills I had learnt during my degree and developed new ones during the course, including learning how to code the chatbot, despite my coding experience dating back to when “the cloud” just meant bad weather.

I had some personal setbacks during the course; my son was hospitalised following seizures, and I experienced family bereavements. Despite this, continuing with my project became a source of strength for me. I found that quiet persistence enhanced my goal of building a chatbot to help parents access support for their children with SEND. I was fortunate to have incredible teammates who became great friends. Their encouragement and support kept me motivated and made my journey more enjoyable, which truly helped me stay focused and positive.

Winning this award culminated my journey in the Justice in Action module. It has reinforced my commitment to working in the field of education law. I’m honoured that my work has been recognised, as I have endured so much resilience behind its purpose. This award has affirmed to me, that technology can be used to close the gap in understanding the law, especially for those who can be excluded from the system.  

Looking ahead, I plan to continue working on my chatbot, hoping it will reach a wider audience. I have already received some great feedback from parents, and I am speaking with a charity to develop it further. I will be pursuing legal technology, I hadn’t initially considered this aspect of my career, but I'm looking into how it can support marginalised groups, such as those within the disability sphere.

I am incredibly grateful to the Open Justice Team. The project's impact, guidance, and support have helped me immensely. This experience has shown me that access to justice is linked to access to understanding, and sometimes, the most powerful legal tools can be put in the hands of parents trying to make sense of the system for their children.