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LAW-2998 Coding the Law: An Introduction to the
Technology of Practice
Mr. Marc Lauritsen, Prof. Gabriel H. Teninbaum,
2 credits day; 2 credits evening.
Students using this course to fulfill the experiential learning requirement may not also use this
same course to meet the legal writing requirement.
Automated systems are used by law firms, corporate legal departments, legal services
organizations, courts, and self-helpers. They can operate as power tools for skilled practitioners,
and as lawyer substitutes for consumers and business people.
This hands-on course will introduce the field of legal practice automation. Students will learn
how to create 'expert' systems that provide guidance and assemble documents in response to
interactive questionnaires. We’ll also explore such questions as: What challenges, opportunities,
and responsibilities do these systems pose for lawyers? What ethical and policy considerations
do they raise? What are their business and career implications? Can governments and non-profits
leverage them to improve access for those who can’t afford lawyers? Does offering them directly
to consumers constitute the unauthorized practice of law?
No programming experience or other technical background is required. This course will be
graded on a pass/fail basis.
Meets Legal Technology and Innovation Concentration Requirements
Meets Experiential Learning Requirement
<<Course Updated: July 13, 2016>>