Lawtech, AI and the Future of Law
| Module title | Lawtech, AI and the Future of Law |
|---|---|
| Module code | LAWM190 |
| Academic year | 2024/5 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Professor Sue Prince (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 15 |
|---|
Module description
AI and technology have already had a major transformative impact on the law and the legal profession. We know that in the future law is one of the areas that will be most affected by technological change. In this module you will explore the development of new technology innovations in the legal workplace and in court services.
The module will provide in-depth understanding of the impact of technology on the law, legal profession and access to justice. Online courts are now a reality with governments investing in a massive court reform agenda intent on reducing the costs of justice. The module will explore changes in policy and developments in online justice for the future. It will also explore how law firms are engaging with lawtech and require you to consider ethical, policy and employability issues for the legal professional over coming decades. Knowledge of these areas are desirable for students wishing to work or practice in the law.
Students will be required to understand the dynamics of the fast-changing legal tech space and explore opportunities to reimagine legal practice and information through innovation.
Module aims - intentions of the module
This module aims to give you the opportunity to critically evaluate technology in the legal system. Examples of these issues relate to the worldwide development of online courts and online legal services, especially in civil justice, online arbitration and online mediation. The module will consider the ethical and practical issues in questions such as how judges use and will use AI in the future to write and analyse judgments: so- called ‘robo judges’ as well as the impact on access to justice and the digitally disadvantaged members of the community.
The module will also focus on the emerging trends, opportunities and challenges in innovation for the legal profession. It will introduce you to skills associated with entrepreneurship such as design thinking, innovation and the impact of change. This module is of particular interest to those interested in providing legal advice in the future.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Demonstrate critical understanding and an ability to assess the principles and the core challenges driving the development of technology in the courts;
- 2. Critically evaluate the use of technology and data by the legal profession;
- 3. Identify, explain and evaluate legal problems and apply innovative solutions to the development of digital technologies for members of the public;
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 4. Demonstrate detailed and comprehensive knowledge and understanding of a range of legal technological concepts, principles, institutions and procedures and the ability to evaluate systematically the relationships among them;
- 5. Demonstrate deep and systematic knowledge and understanding of how applying general principles of law bring about contextual and political implications;
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 6. Communicate effectively, confidently and autonomously in a range of complex and specialised contexts;
- 7. Work independently and as part of a group, and manage time efficiently in preparing for scheduled learning activities, exercises and assessments.
Syllabus plan
Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:
- Introduction to Legal Informatics.
- Data and Algorithms in Justice System.
- Data-Driven Law and Data-Driven Lawyering (including NLP).
- Expert Legal Systems and Legal Databases.
- Online and Automated Dispute Resolution.
- Innovations, Smart Contracts and Trusted Systems in Law.
- LawTech, Professional Standards and Client Expectations.
- New Business Models in Tech-Enhanced Provision of Legal Services.
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | 130 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching | 20 | 10 x 2-hour lecture-led seminars |
| Guided Independent Study | 30 | Reading assignments |
| Guided Independent Study | 50 | Preparation for formative assessments |
| Guided Independent Study | 50 | Preparation for the summative assessments |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Written or video task arising from groupwork | Poster (500 words equivalent) or video presentation (0.5 hour) | 1-7 | Individual written feedback from the module convenor (with oral feedback upon request) |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portfolio comprising of two Individual Project Reports and a Reflective Task | 100 | 2500 word total comprising: Individual project report 1 (1000 words) Individual project report 2 (1000 words) Reflective task (500 words) | 1-7 | Individual written feedback from the module convenor (with oral feedback upon request) |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portfolio (2,500 words) comprising: Individual project report 1 (1,000 words) Individual project report 2 (1,000 words) Reflective task (500 words) | Portfolio (2,500 words) comprising: Individual project report 1 (1,000 words) Individual project report 2 (1,000 words) Reflective task (500 words) | 1-7 | Referral/Deferral period |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
- Richard Susskind ‘Online Courts and the Future of Justice’ (OUP, 2021)
- Richard Susskind ‘Tomorrow’s Lawyers’ (OUP, 2023)
- Ryan Whalen ‘Defining Technology and its implications’ 30 International Journal of Law and Technology (2022) 47
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 7 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 25/03/2024 |
| Last revision date | 02/04/2024 |
