| Semester 2, 2021 Online | |
| Short Description: | Law, Tech and your Future |
| Units : | 1 |
| Faculty or Section : | Faculty of Business, Education, Law and Arts |
| School or Department : | School of Law and Justice |
| Student contribution band : | Band 4 |
| ASCED code : | 090913 - Legal Practice |
| Grading basis : | Graded |
Staffing
Examiner:
Rationale
New and emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, are significantly altering the way in which law is being delivered and practised. These emerging technologies also mean that future lawyers will need additional skill sets to practice law and be involved in developing these new methods of providing access to law. This course provides a comprehensive overview and insight into this changing environment. The necessity for future lawyers to understand the application of technology and to critically analyse the use, benefit and consequences of new technologies means that (future) lawyers need to be adequately equipped for technological literacy and adaptability. The course is intended to promote future proofing and employability in the practice of law.
Synopsis
The course introduces students to new ways of thinking about the access to, and the delivery and practise of law. The course encourages students to think creatively about utilising technology and to identify potential gaps in the legal sector in terms of access and delivery of legal services. The course prepares students to embrace disruptive thinking around the use of technology in the legal sector and to give them access to hands-on experience with some of the emerging technologies. Students will be prepared and encouraged to challenge existing frameworks and technologies and to harness creativity so that they can adapt and respond to a constantly changing legal environment. The course contributes to student employability and identifies USQ students as valuable assets to employers.
Objectives
On successful completion of this course students should be able to:
- demonstrate an understanding [explain and apply] of a coherent body of knowledge of the regulatory framework relating to emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (PO/TLO 1);
- demonstrate an understanding [explain and apply] of a coherent body of knowledge of alternative business structures for the provision of contemporary legal services (PO/TLO 1);
- demonstrate [explain and apply] an ability to recognise and reflect upon (and a developing ability to respond to) ethical issues raised by emerging technologies that are likely to arise in professional contexts in legal practice (PO/TLO 2);
- demonstrate the intellectual and practical skills needed to identify, research in an ethical manner, evaluate and synthesise relevant factual, legal and policy issues relating to emerging technologies (PO/TLO 4);
- communicate in ways that are effective, appropriate and persuasive for legal and non-legal audiences and collaborate effectively in teams (PO/TLO 5).
Topics
| Description | Weighting(%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Introduction to emerging technologies, definitions and impacts/opportunities for the legal profession, judiciary and clients | 5.00 |
| 2. | Overview and analysis of emerging technologies and future technologies | 30.00 |
| 3. | Regulatory environment – challenges (including ethics, privacy, cybersecurity) | 25.00 |
| 4. | Alternative business structures (multi-disciplinary partnerships, commoditisation etc…) | 10.00 |
| 5. | Project management and collaboration in the provision of legal services and access to justice | 10.00 |
| 6. | Profile of the new lawyer (ethics, creativity, judgment, empathy, adaptability, collaboration) | 5.00 |
| 7. | Judicial use of technology | 5.00 |
| 8. | Practice and constructs of jurisprudence | 5.00 |
| 9. | Overview of current legal research methodologies | 5.00 |
Text and Materials
ALL textbooks and materials available to be purchased can be sourced from (unless otherwise stated). (https://omnia.usq.edu.au/textbooks/?year=2021&sem=02&subject1=LAW3481)
Please for alternative purchase options from USQ Bookshop. (https://omnia.usq.edu.au/info/contact/)
(available at .)
Reference Materials
Student Workload Expectations
| Activity | Hours |
|---|---|
| Assessments | 80.00 |
| Directed Study | 39.00 |
| Private Study | 46.00 |
Assessment Details
| Description | Marks out of | Wtg (%) | Due Date | Objectives Assessed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ONLINE TEST | 10 | 10 | 02 Aug 2021 | 2 | (see note 1) |
| PROJECT SWOT ANALYSIS | 25 | 25 | 16 Aug 2021 | 2,3,5 | (see note 2) |
| PEER-REVIEW OF PROJECT SWOT | 15 | 15 | 06 Sep 2021 | 3,5 | (see note 3) |
| PROJECT PROPOSAL | 50 | 50 | 18 Oct 2021 | 1,2,3,4,5 | (see note 4) |
Notes
- The online test is due at 11.59pm AEST (Australian Eastern Standard Time)
- The project SWOT (strengths-weaknesses-opportunities-threats) analysis is due at 11.59pm AEST (Australian Eastern Standard Time)
- The peer-review of project SWOT analysis is due at 11.59pm AEST (Australian Eastern Standard Time)
- The project proposal is due at 11.59pm AEST (Australian Eastern Standard Time)
Important assessment information
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Attendance requirements:
It is the students' responsibility to attend and participate appropriately in all activities scheduled for them, and to study all material provided to them or required to be accessed by them, to maximise their chance of meeting the objectives of the course and to be informed of course-related activities and administration. -
Requirements for students to complete each assessment item satisfactorily:
To satisfactorily complete an individual assessment item a student must achieve at least 50% of the marks for that item. -
Penalties for late submission of required work:
Students should refer to the Assessment Procedure (point 4.2.4) -
Requirements for student to be awarded a passing grade in the course:
To be assured of receiving a passing grade a student must achieve at least 50% of the total weighted marks available for the course. -
Method used to combine assessment results to attain final grade:
The final grades for students will be assigned on the basis of the aggregate of the weighted marks obtained for each of the summative items for the course. -
Examination information:
There is no examination in this course. -
Examination period when Deferred/Supplementary examinations will be held:
Deferred and Supplementary examinations will be held in accordance with the Assessment Procedure . -
University Student Policies:
Students should read the USQ policies: Definitions, Assessment and Student Academic Misconduct to avoid actions which might contravene University policies and practices. These policies can be found at .
Assessment Notes
-
- Students studying this course as part of a Bachelor of Laws must use the Australian Guide to Legal Citation (AGLC) style. Students who are not enrolled in a Bachelor of Laws may use either Harvard (AGPS) or the AGLC style in their assignments to format details of the information sources they have cited in their work. For AGLC style guide enquiries, consult the AGLC manual from the USQ Library's referencing guide at or contact the Law librarian. The AGPS style to be used is defined by the USQ Library's referencing guide at ..
Evaluation and Benchmarking
In meeting the University’s aims to establish quality learning and teaching for all programs, this course monitors and ensures quality assurance and improvements in at least two ways. This course:
- conforms to the USQ Policy on Evaluation of Teaching, Courses and Programs to ensure ongoing monitoring and systematic improvement.
- and is benchmarked against the internal USQ accreditation/reaccreditation processes which include (i) stringent standards in the independent accreditation of its academic programs, (ii) close integration between business and academic planning, and (iii) regular and rigorous review.