LAW3687: Law and Technology

• Introduction to English Law and Legal Method (LAW 1121)

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• To introduce students to basic concepts in modern technologies applicable to law and the legal profession, including the role of AI.
• To introduce students to the fundamental insights of law and technology and how this knowledge can aid lawyers and policy makers in understanding the impact of modern technologies.
• To introduce students to the basic concepts and techniques in the established body of literature on law and technology.
• To introduce students to the regulatory schemes regarding, legal technologies, which includes Data Protection and the regulation of AI.
• To introduce students to a cross-disciplinary perspective to evaluate the public perception of algorithmic justice and the role of technology in the legal process.

• Law and technology is an important and emerging subject for law students in the digital era. The module offers an opportunity for students to gain a better understanding of the application of modern technologies, such as AI and digitalisation, in various legal settings including courts, law firms, and legal aid centres. It aims to help students develop an interdisciplinary perspective to engage with the important literature on law and technology and critically assess the implications of modern technologies for legal development and access to justice.

Subject-specific Knowledge:

• Demonstrate knowledge of emerging technologies and their usage in law as a field.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the potential impact of technological applications in law firms, courts, legal aid centres, and society at large.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the regulatory schemes regarding the use of technologies in legal domains and relevant academic literature and case law

Subject-specific Skills:

• Understand how to apply basic technological tools for law-related purposes.
• Explain the societal impact of the application of modern technologies in the legal industry in theory and in practice.
• Articulate and use the theories and research findings in evaluating the interplay between law and technology in modern societies.
• Explain the promises and limitations of the proliferation of law-related emerging technologies.

Key Skills:

• Demonstrate the skill of communicating complex ideas and arguments in clear written form.
• Demonstrate the skill of analysing the effects of legal and regulatory rules.
• Show the skill of distinguishing between different disciplinary forms of analysis.
• Show the skill of formulating complex policy arguments

• The core principles of the subject will be conveyed by seminars. Additional reading will be set to ensure that more complex aspects of the principles are investigated. Formative assessment will be used to develop both subject-skills and communication skills. The formative presentation and summary will prepare and assess the skills the students need for the summative briefing note and presentation.
• Summative assessment comprises a briefing note, up to 1,500 words, and a PowerPoint Presentation Recording of 5 minutes. The briefing note is aimed at a fictional law firm and must focus on a specific legal tool discussed during the seminars (e.g., proprietary LLMs, AI as a service, simple expert decision-making and so on). The presentation is expected to discuss the legal challenges and problems that the tool in question presents there is room for the student to excel or focus on what they are motivated by from the seminars and their reading.

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