Simon Wallace

Areas of Expertise

• Computational Methods
• Poverty Law
• Legal Education

Professor Simon Wallace uses computational methods and artificial intelligence to analyze large datasets of legal texts. His research focuses on the "great unread" of legal experience—the millions of words produced daily by courts and tribunals that, due to their sheer volume, remain largely unexamined despite containing valuable insights into how law operates in practice. By applying algorithmic techniques to massive archives of legal documents, he builds models that reveal deep patterns in legal experience that would be impossible to detect through traditional reading methods. Professor Wallace has published empirical accounts of law's structure in national and international journals and has written award-winning legal histories examining deportation law and how technological innovation enables new border enforcement practices. He maintains Obiter.ai, an open-source Python library for legal research, and BenchBabble.ca, which tracks historical patterns in Supreme Court of Canada decisions. Before entering academia, Professor Wallace practiced as an immigration detention and deportation defence lawyer, litigating before the Immigration and Refugee Board, Federal Court of Canada, Ontario Superior Court, and Supreme Court of Canada. He is particularly proud of his advocacy on behalf of clients detained in solitary confinement. He completed his doctoral studies at Osgoode Hall Law School, York University.