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Lawyering in an Age of Smart Machines
Mr. Marc Lauritsen,
3 credits day; 3 credits evening.
Some legal work can be done by software systems that embody specialized knowledge and
know-how. Often these operate as power tools in the hands of skilled practitioners. But
increasingly they are being used directly by consumers. People do their own wills and taxes with
off-the-shelf packages. Law firms sell access to online systems that dispense sophisticated legal
analysis without direct human involvement. Corporate law departments equip field personnel
with do-it-yourself contract assemblers. Courts and legal aid programs provide intelligent forms
for unrepresented litigants. And lawyer-less entities vend interactive documents and automated
legal assistance over the Web. What challenges, opportunities, and responsibilities do these
developments pose for lawyers? What ethical and policy considerations frame the use of
intelligent software? What are the business and career implications of tools that undermine the
billable hour, yet yield dramatic returns for those who can raise the necessary capital? Can
governments and non-profits exploit them to improve access for those who can‘t afford lawyers?
Is that second-class justice? This seminar will survey these developments and issues – largely for
the light they shed on lawyering and the legal services delivery system. We‘ll study examples in
the above sectors. We‘ll examine the burgeoning literature on the practicalities and ethics of
‗elawyering,‘ with attention to the American Bar Association‘s Model Rules of Professional
Conduct. Each student will build an illustrative software application, for concrete exposure to
aspects of legal knowledge engineering. By coordinating with the multi-school ‗Apps 4 Justice‘
initiative, students will produce results that help real people with real legal issues. This is a three
credit course. In addition to weekly classes, students are expected to spend an average of eight
hours a week preparing for discussion and working on projects.
Elective Course
Meets Skills Menu Requirement