diff --git a/.github/workflows/auto-approve.yml b/.github/workflows/auto-approve.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a34e16bb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/auto-approve.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+name: Auto-approve PR
+on:
+  pull_request_target:
+    types: [ opened, synchronize ]
+  pull_request:
+    types: [ opened, synchronize ]
+
+jobs:
+  auto-approve:
+    # Only run this action for the dorthrithil user
+    if: github.actor == 'dorthrithil'
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    permissions:
+      pull-requests: write
+    steps:
+      - name: Auto-approve
+        uses: hmarr/auto-approve-action@v3
+        with:
+          github-token: ${{ secrets.LC_BOT_PAT }}
+          review-message: "LocalCragBot here - I approved the PR!\n\nWondering why this is happening? Join the LocalCrag team and be the one approving PRs instead of me!"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/workflows/backend-unit-tests.yml b/.github/workflows/backend-unit-tests.yml
index 8ab6d366..e9ee92e1 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/backend-unit-tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/backend-unit-tests.yml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ on:
   pull_request:
     branches:
       - main
-      - 'v[0-9]+.[0-9]+.[0-9]+'
+      - next
 jobs:
   backend-unit-tests:
     environment: Testing
diff --git a/.github/workflows/check-frontend-prod-build.yml b/.github/workflows/check-frontend-prod-build.yml
index a26473d7..af422aaa 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/check-frontend-prod-build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/check-frontend-prod-build.yml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ on:
   pull_request:
     branches:
       - main
-      - 'v[0-9]+.[0-9]+.[0-9]+'
+      - next
 jobs:
   frontend-prod-build-check:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
diff --git a/.github/workflows/check-migrate-from-empty-db.yml b/.github/workflows/check-migrate-from-empty-db.yml
index 28bf301f..4d727403 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/check-migrate-from-empty-db.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/check-migrate-from-empty-db.yml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ on:
   pull_request:
     branches:
       - main
-      - 'v[0-9]+.[0-9]+.[0-9]+'
+      - next
 jobs:
   check-migrate-from-empty-db:
     environment: Testing
diff --git a/.github/workflows/check-migrate-from-prod-db.yml b/.github/workflows/check-migrate-from-prod-db.yml
index 80f24551..4fd79da6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/check-migrate-from-prod-db.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/check-migrate-from-prod-db.yml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ on:
   pull_request:
     branches:
       - main
-      - 'v[0-9]+.[0-9]+.[0-9]+'
+      - next
 jobs:
   check-migrate-from-prod-db:
     environment: Testing
diff --git a/.github/workflows/cypress-e2e-tests.yml b/.github/workflows/cypress-e2e-tests.yml
index 5c3a4e9f..06c4b6a2 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/cypress-e2e-tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/cypress-e2e-tests.yml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ on:
   pull_request:
     branches:
       - main
-      - 'v[0-9]+.[0-9]+.[0-9]+'
+      - next
 jobs:
   cypress-run:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
diff --git a/.github/workflows/frontend-unit-tests.yml b/.github/workflows/frontend-unit-tests.yml
index 3070ef34..5be9615a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/frontend-unit-tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/frontend-unit-tests.yml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ on:
   pull_request:
     branches:
       - main
-      - 'v[0-9]+.[0-9]+.[0-9]+'
+      - next
 jobs:
   frontend-unit-tests:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
diff --git a/.github/workflows/linting.yml b/.github/workflows/linting.yml
index d5fc38cd..6a68af6e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/linting.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/linting.yml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ on:
   pull_request:
     branches:
       - main
-      - 'v[0-9]+.[0-9]+.[0-9]+'
+      - next
 jobs:
   lint-server:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
diff --git a/.github/workflows/pr-title-lint.yml b/.github/workflows/pr-title-lint.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..83e45323
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/pr-title-lint.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+# Enforces that the PR title follows the Conventional Commits specification
+# https://www.conventionalcommits.org/en/v1.0.0/
+# The PR title is used as the commit message when squashing PRs (requires specific GitHub settings)
+
+name: "Conventional Commits PR Title"
+
+on:
+  pull_request:
+    branches:
+      - next
+    types:
+      - synchronize
+      - opened
+      - edited
+      - ready_for_review
+
+jobs:
+  check_squash_commit:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout PR branch
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          ref: ${{ github.event.pull_request.head.sha }}
+
+      - name: Extract PR title as squash commit message
+        run: echo "${{ github.event.pull_request.title }}" > squash_commit_message.txt
+
+      - name: Install commitlint
+        run: npm install @commitlint/{config-conventional,cli}
+
+      - name: Validate PR title as squash commit message
+        run: |
+          echo "${{ github.event.pull_request.title }}" | npx commitlint --verbose
diff --git a/commitlint.config.js b/commitlint.config.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e424dbc5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/commitlint.config.js
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+module.exports = {
+  extends: ['@commitlint/config-conventional'],
+};
\ No newline at end of file