Juhana Riekkinen

Juhana Riekkinen is a University Lecturer in Legal Informatics at the Faculty of Law, University of Lapland. He specializes in criminal procedure, data protection, electronic evidence, and the intersection of law with emerging technologies like artificial intelligence. His teaching responsibilities include courses such as Privacy, Data Protection and Data Security, Law of Evidence, and Open Data in both Finnish and English. He coordinates multiple LL.B. and LL.M. programs focusing on legal informatics and procedural law.

Research interests span electronic evidence admissibility, automated decision-making in courts, AI ethics, and EU data protection law’s impact on national legal frameworks. His work addresses challenges like balancing privacy rights with cybersecurity needs and adapting legal systems to digital innovations. Key projects include the MAITE initiative on predictive AI for elderly care and blockchain applications in public services.

Riekkinen has authored over 30 publications since 2014, including peer-reviewed articles, conference papers, and books. Notable outputs include analyses of CJEU data protection rulings and studies on emotional data governance in AI services. He has received awards such as the LexisNexis Best Paper Award (2019 and 2025) and the 2015 Best Graduate honor from the University of Lapland.

He actively participates in academic networks like Young Academy Finland and serves on program committees for conferences like the International Legal Informatics Symposium (IRIS). His professional activities include public lectures on topics like AI in the judiciary, covert surveillance oversight, and ISP liability.