Call for Applications - 2026 AI & Law PhD Scholarship

The Cyberjustice Laboratory and the LexUM Chair on Legal Information are offering an exceptional opportunity for PhD students passionate about information technology, cyberjustice, and artificial intelligence.

The LexUM Chair on Legal Information and Cyberjustice Laboratory PhD Scholarship is designed to encourage two (2) young researchers to embark on a compelling thesis exploring topics related to information technology, cyberjustice, and artificial intelligence. By joining the Université de Montréal's Faculty of Law, these young researchers will have access to the world-class Institut de valorisation des données (IVADO), which brings together HEC Montréal, Polytechnique Montréal, and the Université de Montréal, as well as the pioneering work in deep learning of the Montreal Institute for Learning Algorithms (MILA).

The LexUM Chair on Legal Information is dedicated to promoting the development of legal information in all its forms and access to law and justice. Through its activities and work, the Chair collaborates with key government, industry, and legal professionals, focuses on social issues related to the use of information technology in the legal world, and provides a platform for the ongoing development of expertise transfer and international outreach activities. Its research, conducted in partnership with the Cyberjustice Laboratory, promotes the development of a new generation of tools to facilitate access to legal information, to legal assistance, to alternative dispute resolution, and to the courts.

Since 2010, the Université de Montréal's Cyberjustice Laboratory has been a space for reflection and creation where justice processes are remodeled and reimagined. More specifically, the Laboratory team analyzes the impact of technology on justice and develops concrete technological tools adapted to the reality of judicial systems. Benefiting from academic and multidisciplinary expertise, its team is led by several dynamic students as well as qualified researchers and professionals. In addition to its permanent team based at the Université de Montréal, the Laboratory's expertise extends globally: its international team brings together more than 20 universities and research centers, some 50 researchers, and more than 40 partners.

Le·a récipiendaire de la bourse trouvera, au sein de la Chaire LexUM en informatique juridique et du Laboratoire de cyberjustice, un environnement multidisciplinaire de collaboration propice au mentorat ainsi qu’à la recherche de pointe sur les questions juridiques liées aux technologies de l’information et à l’intelligence artificielle.  

GENERAL INFORMATION

Annual value: $30,000 (renewable once)

Application deadline: April 30, 2026

Scholarship recipients must begin their doctoral program at Université de Montréal in the fall of 2026 (starting in August 2026)! We therefore strongly encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible.

Payment method: The scholarship will be paid in two installments to the tuition fees department: the first installment will be paid during the semester of admission and the second will be paid according to the specifications set out in the award letter.

The LexUM Chair and the Cyberjustice Laboratory reserve the right not to award scholarships in 2026 based on the applications received.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

• Be admitted to the doctoral program at the Faculty of Law of the University of Montreal;
• Focus your thesis on the field of information technology, cyberjustice, and artificial intelligence;
• Please note that the Law & AI scholarships are specifically intended for students who are not yet enrolled at the Université de Montréal. Their purpose is to attract and support students interested in the intersections between law and artificial intelligence;
• Be supervised by a researcher from the Cyberjustice Laboratory.

AWARD CRITERIA

• Possess a high academic record;
• Quality and seriousness of the candidate;
• Demonstrate a keen interest in issues related to the interaction between law and information and communication technologies.

APPLICATION DOCUMENTS

• A cover letter addressed to the Scholarship Committee and tailored to the scholarship selection criteria (maximum 1 page);
• A brief description of your research project (maximum 1 page);
• A research and writing schedule;
• A letter of recommendation from a professor;
• A resume (maximum 2 pages);
• Copies of your transcripts (unofficial copies accepted) from your undergraduate, graduate, and/or postgraduate studies;
• Any other documents or information you deem relevant (financial needs statement, letters of recommendation, etc.).

SUBMISSION

• Please send all required documents by email in a single PDF file to Victoria Brodeur, coordinator of the Cyberjustice Laboratory – victoria.brodeur@umontreal.ca
• Name your PDF file: “2026.[month].[day]_[LAST NAME First Name]_Application_Law and AI Scholarship”
• In the subject line of the email, write: “[First Name Last Name] - Law & AI Scholarship Application”
• No applications submitted after April 30, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. (EDT) will be considered.

Applicants will be notified of the Committee's decision in May 2026.

For additional information, please contact:

Victoria Brodeur – Coordinator, Cyberjustice Laboratory – victoria.brodeur@umontreal.ca

This content has been updated on 01/07/2026 at 9 h 22 min.