LLM Law and Digital Innovation

Course Overview

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What is the programme about?

Several drivers of change are influencing how law itself, the practice of law, and the business of law operate. These include information and communications technology (particularly so-called ‘artificial intelligence’ globalisation, the rise of in-house lawyering, outsourcing, off-shoring, equality, inclusion and diversity issues, and environmental, social and governance challenges. The law, the courts, and the legal services industry are under greater pressure than ever before to adapt to the new possibilities that technology affords.

This programme takes all of this into account and focuses on ‘lawtech’: the uses of technology for legal practice – from basic tools like word processors and spreadsheets to sophisticated ‘artificial intelligence’ applications that some claim will replace lawyers and judges.

This LLM addresses the changes faced by the legal industry, beyond simple digitalisation or automation – converting existing paper-based processes to electronic or digital processes to reach innovation or transformation – re-thinking these processes entirely or creating new approaches to old problems or challenges, often relying on technology. It will provide graduates with a set of future-proofed skills (including hands-on app building and data analytics, the ability to assess lawtech, understand its workings and scan the future for the changes may be in store for the legal industry.

Overview

The LLM in Law and Digital Innovation is the only Masters of its kind in the Republic of Ireland. The use of technology, software tools and artificial intelligence are transforming legal practice and creating new career opportunities. Employers are keen to hire individuals with skills in both law and technology. The LLM in Law and Digital Innovation responds to this through the provision of high quality, research-led teaching that bridges the disciplines of law, information systems, and data analytics.

This programme will be of interest to law, business or STEM graduates who are seeking to develop a career in lawtech, and legal practitioners who are seeking to upskill or change careers. Its approach is inherently international: the same winds of change blow through legal services markets worldwide, and the law that will be learned is almost entirely from the European Union (and thus globally relevant due to the ‘Brussels effect’.

This programme will prepare graduates to work in a rapidly-changing context, as legal practitioners, researchers, or technology innovators, by providing them with a deep understanding of the relevant law, the potential (and pitfalls of technology as a tool for legal services and access to justice, and the realities of innovation in both the private and public sector.

It will provide graduates with:

• a comprehensive and critical understanding of issues at the forefront of technology law and practice by adopting legal, sociological and design thinking approaches to study and research.
• a diverse range of cross-disciplinary and research-led modules that focus on topics at the intersection of law, technology, and access to justice delivered by leading experts.
• confidence to express complex ideas (orally and in writing and to undertake independent study using multi-disciplinary sources and scholarship.

Course Highlights:

• A diverse range of cross-disciplinary and research-led modules that focus on topics at the intersection of law, information systems and data analytics, delivered by leading experts.
• Guest lectures from those involved in creating, applying or experiencing the use of technology in legal practice and in the courts.
• Field trips to important sites of practice, such as the Courts Service.
• The Technology and Rights Research Cluster which has links with (intergovernmental, judicial and civil society organisations will enable students to attend a range of events hosted by this cluster.
• Applied Design Thinking Project, address a real-life problem under the supervision of a specific supervisor. This project will take place across Semester I and II, as part of the module Design Thinking for Lawyers I and II. Students will be presented with a highly complex legal issue presented by real life stakeholders, and will have agency to choose what aspect they wish to address. Over the course of two semesters they will define personas, and develop solutions for those personas, ultimately developing a solution which they will prototype, test and iterate. Additionally students will consider the audience and marketing of this solution.
• A Minor Thesis is completed by students on a topic of their choice under close supervision by leading experts.
• Focus on skills and employability including legal research and writing, data analytics, and app development.
• Career Support is provided through professional workshops concentrating on students CV and interview skills. ‘Careers in Law Week’ also provides an opportunity to meet potential employers.

• An approved Second Class Honours Degree, Grade 1 (2.1, Level 8) in law or in another relevant discipline such as business, computer science, or statistics.
• In exceptional circumstances, an applicant holding a degree in another discipline or a degree of less than an approved Second Class Honours Degree, Grade 1 (H2.1) standard may be considered where they have relevant professional experience in law and computer science.
• International students should refer to the country-specific information section of the International Office website.

AI might not replace lawyers, but lawyers with skills in technology and analytics will have an advantage in the job market, particularly noted by Wolters Kluwer in 2023, is a need to understand and apply Generative AI. Graduates might work as lawyers in traditional legal advice roles, particularly focusing on technology law, or in other roles such as Legal Technologist, Legal Process Analyst, Legal Knowledge Engineer, Legal Hybrid, Legal Project Manager, Online Dispute Resolution Practitioner, Legal Risk Manager, Legal Prompt Engineer and Legal Management Consultant. The more enterprising might become lawtech entrepreneurs.

For those who are interested in working directly on lawtech, according to a Robert Walters report on the lawtech job market, vacancies in this field have grown by 87% between 2019 to 2020, and 177% between 2020 and 2021. By 2021, lawtech jobs were 2.7% of all tech vacancies in the UK. For more traditional roles, according to a Wolters Kluwer report the increasing importance of legal technology was one of the key trends that will impact on legal professionals from 2023-26, while a lack of technology skills is an issue for 49% of the firms surveyed yet legal departments that are technology leaders routinely outperform those who are not. 75% of firms and legal departments reported they are prepared and expect to invest in technologies in 2023.

Potential employers who hire experts within these fields include traditional legal firms, accountancy and consultancy firms, and lawtech firms. Career paths are also possible with the civil and public service (particularly the courts), as an barrister, or as an in-house lawyer in a commercial organisation (particularly multi-national businesses). Students who have completed the specialised modules led by recognised experts, completed tailored methods and dissemination training and engaged in independent research in timely topics will be highly appealing to a wide-range of employers.