Description
The Digital Lawyer is an elective subject in postgraduate programs offered by the Faculty of Law in which undergraduate students may be permitted to enrol. This subject examines recent changes in the legal services industry and explores a range of ideas about how technology can be deployed in legal practice. The business model of the traditional law firm is under threat from new, technology-driven market entrants. Work traditionally completed by lawyers can now be done faster, cheaper and better by increasingly capable smart machines employing techniques such as machine learning, data analytics and natural language processing. During this subject, students will develop a technology based prototype to address customers' legal needs.
Subject details
| Type | Undergraduate |
| Code | LAWS17-110 |
| EFTSL | 0.125 |
| Faculty | Faculty of Law |
| Semesters offered |
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| Credit | 10 |
| Study areas |
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| Subject fees |
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Learning outcomes
1. Demonstrate knowledge of: (a) trends in the legal services industry, including: business pressures on the traditional law firm model (such as the growth of in-house legal teams, offshoring, commoditisation of formerly bespoke legal work), new market entrants and the changing ways that legal professionals are employed and undertake their work; (b) developing technologies and techniques with relevance and potential application to law, including artificial intelligence, machine learning and data analytics; and (c) how software is developed, including an introduction to coding, how to prototype apps and how to work with software developers.
2. Demonstrate the reasoning, research and communication skills to: (a) reflect critically on the changing nature of the legal services industry; (b) investigate, analyse and evaluate developing technologies and their potential application to the delivery of legal services; and (c) generate, justify and present a prototype of a technology-based product to enhance the delivery of legal services, whether through the application of advanced technological or mathematical techniques, user-centred design, or another novel approach to the delivery of legal services.
3. Demonstrate the ability to apply the above knowledge and skills: (a) with creativity and initiative to new situations; (b) with high level personal autonomy and accountability; and (c) to plan and execute substantial research based projects.
Enrolment requirements
| Requisites: ? | Nil |
|---|---|
| Restrictions: ? |
Must have completed a minimum 120 Credit Points of LAWS subjects AND have a minimum average of 65% in LAWS subjects. Must be admitted into a Bachelor Law degree OR Bachelor of Laws combined degree OR be an approved Study Abroad OR Exchange Law Student. This subject is not available as a general elective. To be eligible for enrolment, the subject must be specified in the students’ program structure. |
Subject outlines
Subject dates
| Standard Offering | |
|---|---|
| Enrolment opens | 02/08/2020 |
| Semester start | 14/09/2020 |
| Subject start | 14/09/2020 |
| Cancellation 1? | 28/09/2020 |
| Cancellation 2? | 05/10/2020 |
| Last enrolment | 27/09/2020 |
| Withdraw – Financial? | 10/10/2020 |
| Withdraw – Academic? | 31/10/2020 |
| Teaching census? | 09/10/2020 |