Technology and the Law

This upper level seminar focuses on the current issue of Technology and the Law. This seminar teaches students to develop an understanding of the impact of technology on lawyering and the legal profession. Technology is fully integrated into personal and professional lives, a process accelerated in the age of COVID-19. Attorneys are now “lawyering in the digital age.” Advances in technology, for example, surveillance tools, algorithms, and automated decision-making systems, have transformed law and society. Technology has amplified challenging issues related to racism, oppression, equality, privacy, digital equity, access to justice, public policy, government regulation, and public health. Big tech companies have monetized the data and attention of consumers. This corporate structure is facing increasing scrutiny as the U.S. confronts critical issues related to data privacy and the ownership of information and the lack of meaningful oversight of the tech industry. Marginalized and vulnerable communities confront digital inequities. This course is an interactive seminar that addresses these issues as well as lawyering skills applicable to practice in a digital context. Evaluations are based on student engagement, reflection memos, and a choice of a final paper.