Course Description:
This class will introduce students to legal technology and issues around innovation in legal practices and services. Artificial intelligence, big data analytics and blockchain/virtual currencies are already starting to emerge and be integrated with legal products. Simultaneously, economic pressure from clients and the growing gap in access to justice has led firms and legal service organizations to embrace methods of increasing efficiency, whether it is using more technology, turning to project management systems to reorganize workflows and relying less on ‘the billable hour’ to measure client billing and attorney performance. Through a combination of class discussion, guest lectures and interviews, exercises and a final paper, this course will provide an opportunity to students to understand the role that legal technology and new practice models of the business of law in changing the practice of law, and teach them how to consider, evaluate and adapt to emerging changes in law practice with a thoughtful and critical mindset.
