William Van Zwanenberg

Legal Technologist combining enterprise software and workflow delivery with formal legal training and nine years' legal casework. LLM Legal Technology (Distinction) and LLB (First Class), with recent experience designing databases, reporting systems and workflow automation using Microsoft Access, Power BI, Excel/VBA and Python. Earlier enterprise experience includes leading a multidisciplinary technology team of approximately 15 at Nokia and translating stakeholder requirements into technical specifications and delivery plans.

Recently sought to found a legal tech venture applying Argument Mapping and Bayesian Networks to analyse and visualise complex legal reasoning.

Founder and Product Lead - visual-ratio.net – Legal Technology Venture

(2025-03 - 2026-07)

Developed the concept and commercial proposition for VISUAL RATIO, a proposed Legal Tech platform applying Argument Mapping, NLP, Generative AI and AI-assisted analysis to help lawyers and academics construct, visualise and analyse complex legal reasoning. Defined product requirements, architecture and user workflows; conducted market and feasibility research; explored funding and development options; concluded the venture after assessing the investment and technical resources required. MVP presented to Founders Factory.

Vision Document

Created.

Technology Consultant and Developer - Self-employed - Brighton and Hove Council departments

(2022-07 - 2025-03)

Delivered bespoke development, data handling, reporting and automation solutions to Brighton and Hove Council departments, notably Financing and Adult Social Care, on short-term contracts:

• Designed and built a secure Microsoft Access database (relational model, validation rules, role-based access, audit reporting) for the Council's business-support programme, replacing an ad hoc, unintegrated legacy system; c.70 users, c.400 records.
• Built Power BI dashboards and Excel/VBA tools for case administration and operational reporting, giving senior social workers, occupational therapists, care managers, safeguarding officers and back-office staff visibility of case volumes, statuses and exceptions to support management oversight and decision-making.
• Developed Python and VBA scripts automating data preparation and formatting and enabling repeatable, traceable decision workflows.

Paralegal (Paid, Part Time) and Volunteer Case Handler - BARNETT SURVIVORS LTD (BSL) AND THE FREE REPRESENTATION UNIT (FRU) - London

(2013-06 - 2022-05)

Combined part-time paid work at BSL, a support and advocacy service for male victims of domestic abuse, with volunteer casework at FRU, a charity providing free representation in employment and social security tribunals, (to gain tribunal advocacy experience).

• Legal Tech Implementation: At BSL, designed a bespoke Excel/VBA client-management system for case tracking, client information and hearing-bundle documents; wrote Word VBA macros to automate repetitive tasks; built an Oracle database of users and expert witnesses.
• Legal Practice: Managed matters from intake to hearing preparation: triage, research, evidence review, chronologies, drafting, hearing bundles and deadlines. Typical caseload: unfair dismissal claims in Employment Tribunals.

PERL and TCL Developer - DEMON INTERNET - London

(2005-10 - 2007-11)

Built bespoke PERL and TCL script-based back-end server apps enabling, tracking and monitoring the core dial-up ISP service.

Development Manager - NOKIA - Helsinki

(2002-05 - 2005-08)

Led delivery of enterprise back-end, CRM, content-management, workflow and early mobile-service (WAP) systems, heading a multidisciplinary team of c.15 developers, editors, network specialists and business analysts. Designed and delivered CMS and publishing-workflow components, including aggregation and editorial quality controls, for nokia.com (27 language versions), and TheFeature.com, Nokia's influential online magazine on the emerging mobile internet. Translated stakeholder requirements into technical specifications, delivery plans and governed changes to Nokia's bespoke CRM and SAP R/3-based systems.

Consultant and Vignette Software Engineer - DIGITAL CHANNEL PARTNERS (DCP) - London

(2001-09 - 2002-03)

Worked on large-scale international enterprise content-management, digital-publishing and system-integration projects for media, finance and publishing clients, with responsibility for secure information handling and workflow-based systems.

Web and Database Developer - SPORTAL - London

(1998-10 - 2001-06)

Developed database-driven websites, back-end systems, information architecture, and scalable content delivery solutions for large commercial sporting clients e.g. AC Milan and Juventus Football Clubs and Benetton F1 Racing.

LLM - Legal Technology - Swansea University (2022 - 2023)

Bar Professional Training Course - University of Law (2010 - 2012)

LLB Law (Hons) - Law - Birkbeck, University of London (2007 - 2010)

MSc - Organic Chemistry - Durham (1996 - 1997)

BSc (Hons) - Chemistry - UCL (1993 - 1996)