diff --git a/.github/workflows/lacchain-checks.yml b/.github/workflows/lacchain-checks.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..2ee6ed04354
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/lacchain-checks.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+name: checks
+on:
+  push:
+    branches: [ lacchain-release ]
+  pull_request:
+  workflow_dispatch:
+
+jobs:
+  spotless:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    if: ${{ github.actor != 'dependabot[bot]' }}
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout Repo
+        uses: actions/checkout@v3
+      - name: Set up Java
+        uses: actions/setup-java@v3
+        with:
+          distribution: adopt
+          java-version: 17
+          cache: gradle
+      - name: spotless
+        run: ./gradlew --no-daemon --parallel clean spotlessCheck
+  javadoc_17:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    if: ${{ github.actor != 'dependabot[bot]' }}
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout Repo
+        uses: actions/checkout@v3
+      - name: Set up Java 17
+        uses: actions/setup-java@v3
+        with:
+          distribution: adopt
+          java-version: 17
+          cache: gradle
+      - name: javadoc (JDK 17)
+        run: ./gradlew --no-daemon clean javadoc
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 5c9b2328208..35b74bbfd04 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ on:
     types: released
 jobs:
   dockerPromoteX64:
-    runs-on: [besu-research-ubuntu-16]
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v3
       - uses: actions/setup-java@v3