Technology is an issue that affects all generations, and the younger generation of lawyers is generally considered to be the most adept at utilizing new tech in general. But do they know how to litigate cases related to these technologies, such as artificial intelligence? Do they know how to create their own applications and tools for legal tasks? Are they utilizing the most efficient methods to do their work?
By providing law students with tech know-how for legal tasks, law schools can equip their future lawyers with the skills to make them more self-sufficient and better prepared to take on cases in a new and continuously changing terrain.
Bloomberg Law’s third annual Law School Innovation Program asked law schools how they build resilience for a fulfilling long-term legal career. This article highlights three of this year’s finalists who have bridged the gap between technology and the law.
Duquesne University’s Thomas R. Kline School of Law‘s Law and Computing Concentration provides a diverse catalog of classes, integrated instruction, clinic opportunities, and experiential learning related to legal and technology.
The concentration includes six courses:
Most of the curriculum was designed in consultation with a major legal technology company and the legal technology research and development division of the London-based law firm Pinsent Masons. All of the courses require students to write code, typically in Python.
“Some lawyers will learn to work with this technology to be better, more efficient lawyers,” said Law and Computing Program Director Wesley Oliver. “But our view, at Duquesne Kline, is that some law students will discover an interest in, and ability to, build the technology that has the capacity to improve the legal profession,” he said. “And our courses are designed to introduce them to the skills to responsibly build legal technology.”
Students at Georgetown Law can apply to the Technology Law and Policy Scholars Program, an interdisciplinary curriculum that teaches about the intersection of technology, law, and policy.
The Tech Law Scholars are required to take two year-long seminars in their 1L and 2L years. During the 1L seminar, students learn about the ethical, constitutional and policy issues surrounding technology. During the 2L year, they are introduced to institutions that shape technology law and policy, including federal agencies, the court system, Congress, and private sector and non-profit organizations. There’s also an experiential component in which students focus on building practical skills.
Program leaders actively seek out students with non-tech experience. Only about 40% of the scholars have a background in technology; others come from fields like journalism, diplomacy, and even theater.
“The Tech Law Scholars program addresses the existing gap between technologists and policymakers by fostering a community of law students interested in tech issues who have a diverse array of backgrounds and career goals,” said Mary Pat Dwyer, academic program director at Georgetown Law’s Institute for Technology Law and Policy. “The Program, in keeping with Georgetown’s Jesuit values, centers on humanity in technology and is intentional in exploring the ethics of technology law,” Dwyer said.
The Center for Technology & Innovation in Practice at the University of Oklahoma College of Law combats attorney burnout through an innovative legal education designed to help students graduate with technological fluency, knowledge of alternative billing methods, and familiarity with non-traditional firm structures. The law school requires that all students participate in the program.
Each student takes a three-credit class through the center each semester. Students learn to automate routine tasks, such as document drafting and case management, through AI and emerging technologies. One program offered combines coursework with experiential learning where students have the chance to explore the legal application of technologies, such as AI, drones, and augmented and virtual reality. By harnessing this technological fluency, the center can promote career satisfaction as graduates can focus on tasks that demand more of their legal expertise rather than routine tasks.
“By focusing on non-traditional billing models and leveraging technology to reduce administrative burdens, the Center helps students develop resilience and adaptability,” said Sean Allan Harrington, the College of Law’s director of technology innovation. “Mastery of these tools and methods allows students to work more efficiently and focus on the more rewarding aspects of legal practice, helping them avoid burnout and maintain a fulfilling career.”
In previous articles in this series: Melissa Heelan’s Feb. 3 article announced the 2024–2025 Law School Innovation Program’s 10 finalists. Bloomberg Law Legal Analyst Emily Preston’s Feb. 6 piece looked at the finalists in the “career pathing” category. Look for the next piece in the series on Feb. 13, when Bloomberg Law Legal Analyst Linda Masina will present the three schools with top scores in the “well-being” category.
Related content is available for free on our Law School Innovation Program page and on our Path to Practice: The Law School Survey page.
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