Presenter: Rónán Kennedy
Like many others, the School of Law at the National University of Ireland Galway does not make innovation and technology a central feature of its teaching. However, the Faculty of Law (as it then was) began to offer a module in “Computers and Law” in the early 1990s, and when it offered the Bachelor of Corporate Law degree (now Law and Business) in the late 1990s, modules from Business Information Systems formed an integral part of this programme. The School therefore has long experience with the topic, and exploration of the role of information and communications technology (ICT) in legal practice has been part of this since the outset.
Rapid developments in machine learning and so-called ‘artificial intelligence’ make this a pressing issue for teaching, particularly at undergraduate level, in order to properly prepare students for a workplace that is undergoing significant and accelerating change. The School is therefore undertaking a transversal project to examine how to provide students with a good understanding of the role of technology and innovation in the practice of law and in their careers. It aims to prepare students for legal practice on three levels. First, it will ensure that they have the basic skills needed to operate in an increasingly technologically-enabled workplace. Second, it will equip them with the knowledge and perspectives required to engage critically with ICT, whether internal or external to their practice, so that they can make informed decisions about whether to adopt new (and often expensive) technology, and respond in a thoughtful way to proposals by policy- and decision-makers to require the use of new platforms and communications tools. Third, it will give them an understanding of the role of innovation in modern society, in legal practice, and in their careers, so that they can fully participate in processes of change, both to further their own goals and to protect basic legal, moral, and ethical values (particularly the rule of law).
This project is proceeding on four strands:
- Innovation in the Law School curriculum: Beginning from the NUI Galway graduate attributes, and the Law School’s perspective on these, the School will examine how innovation can be made a more central feature of teaching. This will take place in both a bottom-up way – identifying where innovation is already part of the curriculum but not explicitly identified as such – and top-down, where ideas for inclusion in particular modules are explored with the relevant teaching staff. Where possible, modules from the Business School will be re-purposed.
- Basic ICT skills in the Law School curriculum: Many students now graduate without formal training in the use of office productivity applications, and therefore have a very limited understanding of how best to use these. The School is exploring the idea of requiring that students have a relevant badge or Microsoft Imagine Academy certificate before they can submit essays or apply for clinical placements.
- Advanced ICT skills in the Law School curriculum: In collaboration with external vendors, the School is developing a module on application development for the legal services industry.
- Cross-campus collaborations: The School is exploring the possibility of working with the School of Business and Economics and the Blackstone Launchpad (a student entrepreneurship incubator) to develop ideas such as an industry-focused final year project, or links to campus-based start-ups.
This presentation reports on experience with these initiatives, lessons learned, and recommendations for similar efforts elsewhere.
