Global Tech Law: Selected Topics Seminar

This seminar will explore the relationship between global digital technologies and law (‘Global Tech Law’) by studying selected topics that illuminate the interplay between interconnected hardware and software (code), data, and law. It will provide a basic introduction to the foundational technologies of the digital age–the binary system, computation, and the Internet–as well as to rapidly developing digital technologies such as distributed ledgers (blockchain), artificial intelligence / machine learning, and quantum computing–designed to be accessible to law students without prior technological background or formal training in computer science. These technologies transcend the jurisdictional boundaries of individual countries due to factors ranging from the interconnectedness of the Internet and the super-mobility of data and control functions, to the economic interests of global business and their customers in technologies they can deploy and use almost anywhere. The relevant formal law includes a complex patchwork of state/national, transnational, and international legal structures for contracting, IPR and other property rights and management, dispute diversion and resolution, governmental regulation, public administration, and industry or organization-specific self-governance. Naturally, the seminar will not be able to provide a comprehensive introduction to these areas of law. But studying a set of carefully selected topics (including localization and identification technologies, cloud computing, blockchain, AI / ML, self-driving vehicles, and smart cities) will bring out certain technological and legal design features that tomorrow’s lawyers will need to understand to address the societal and economic implications of global digital technologies through well-crafted national and transnational legal and regulatory strategies going forward. The major intellectual contributions of the seminar are the embedding of the study of law and digital technology in a global context, and the integration of this with consideration of some fundamental ideas and concepts in legal theory. Each class will introduce a certain digital technology by interactive lecture followed by a short Q&A to ensure a solid basis for the ensuing discussion of readings (legal and theoretical texts) and case studies. For some case studies, guest speakers will be invited to join either in person or via Skype to discuss their experience as technologists in interaction with lawyers and vice versa. The instructor will encourage and facilitate interaction and joint learning between students who share interests in certain digital technologies. In the penultimate session of the class, students will present their paper via a science fair style poster presentation to gain confidence in talking about the relationship between digital technologies and law and to receive feedback from the instructor and their peers.

Course Code: LAW-LW.12666.001 Semester: Spring 2019 Type: Seminar Course Topics:

• Comparative and Foreign Law
• Intellectual Property and Information Law
• International Law

Credits: 2

Prerequisite(s): None Corequisite(s): None Recommended: None If different for LLM students, please explain: n/a Mutually Exclusive with: None Is permission of the instructor required to register?

Credit/Fail Option (For JD Students Only) Will this course be available to JD students on a credit/fail basis? No

ABA Standard 314. Assessment of Student Learning What assessment method does this course provide? Both Formative and Summative assessments Description: Students will be required to write a paper on a certain global digital technology and its interaction with law. The final assessment will combine formative and summative elements. Class participation and the poster presentation will provide a basis for upward adjustment of the final grade.

Examination Procedures Will there be an examination in the above course? No Will there be a midterm exam in the above course? No

Writing Requirements Is there a substantial/option A writing credit requirement or option? Yes Is there a option B writing requirement or option? Yes

S - Seminar and/or Colloquium. These courses have limited enrollment. They require faculty permission to withdraw after the drop/add deadline.