Ashwin Ramaswami

Who are you? Tell us about yourself!
I’m Ashwin Ramaswami, I’m a rising 3L at Georgetown Law. I grew up in Johns Creek, GA and have a background in computer science. I love building things and the intersection of technology, law, and policy.

What do you do with the Judicial Innovation Fellowship (JIF)(This link opens in a new tab)?
I support JIF Director Jason Tashea with organizing and planning the Fellowship. I have helped do research to initially inform the structure and focus of the fellowship, helped design the application and review process for applicants and courts, and helped think through overall goals and plans of the Fellowship as a whole.

What drew you to Georgetown/JIF/Fritz Fellowship?
I came to law school because I realized that technology is not built in a vacuum: it intersects with the structures of governance, law, policy, and power that pervade our society today. I thought it was really important to learn more about how our society works through law and policy, and Georgetown is a great place to do that while also having the opportunity to do public service through working with the government. I was interested in working on JIF through the Fritz Family Fellowship because of the opportunity to not only work on an interdisciplinary project with my technical background, but be able to work towards an initiative that concretely improves the lives of the least well-off in society through both technology and law.

What have you enjoyed most about your experience so far with JIF?
I have really enjoyed being immersed in the access to justice field by talking with court officials, professionals, and researchers in this field. It’s an area that I had little familiarity with before joining law school, and I’ve been very inspired by the work people are doing in this sphere and glad that I have the opportunity to contribute to their work.

What are you looking forward to most about the upcoming months as the fellow selection progresses?
In the coming months, I am most looking forward to meeting the fellows who ultimately get selected! It would be great to be able to meet people who are excited about improving access to justice with technology and who have decided to dedicate a year of their lives to working with court systems on this task.

What advice do you have for students who share your interests in tech law and policy?
You’re in a really special field where there is a lot of opportunity and space to help with various efforts. You don’t need to have a technical background to be a great expert in tech law and policy — the field needs more people from all kinds of backgrounds. Try new things out and find your niche!

What other interests do you have outside of law?
I am interested in various topics including software development, digital humanities, reading history, religion, and Hindu philosophy. Talk to me about these any time!