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LAW-2066 Design Thinking for Lawyers and Business
Professionals
Mr. Phillipe M. Mauldin, Mr. Alexander C. Gavis,
1 credits day; 1 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.
Innovation and creativity are driving forces in today's economy. A new way of thinking has
gained traction in the business world with a different approach to problem solving. It starts with
understanding the client's needs and then developing new solutions using design principles. This
human-centric approach -- Design Thinking -- is critical to the success of many businesses today.
It is an essential skill for professionals succeeding in today's fast-moving environment.
This one-week (January term) class will cover the fundamentals of Design Thinking and how to
understand and approach client problems. We will start with a learning "boot camp" with experts
on Design Thinking and then move quickly to collaborative exercises. We will then form groups
to apply what we have learned to actual client problems. This will involve examining situations
in which clients may not understand what lawyers and other professionals are saying or
communicating in materials (contracts, agreements, etc.) and figuring out how to communicate
differently, or in a way that will resonate with clients. The class is open to students who want to
tap into their creative potential and develop skills that will help them thrive in our innovation
economy.
Elective Course
Meets Experiential Learning Requirement
<<Course Updated: April 06, 2016>>