This course will examine innovation theory and how it applies within the legal profession. The initial focus in the class will be on the disruptive forces and 'megatrends' in the world today that have an impact on organizations and the practice of law. The class will introduce students to the many facets of innovation in the legal context, including the application of advanced technologies to legal problem solving, derivation of new insights from data science, changes to the traditional employer/employee model (the 'future of work' for professionals), alternative revenue/business models applicable to legal services providers, and incorporating lean startup/design thinking theory into legal problem solving. The unique innovation directive applicable to law firms will be closely examined, including the emerging application of advanced technologies - such as artificial intelligence and blockchain - to legal problem solving. Recent advancements in Generative AI (e.g., ChatGPT) and their application to the law will be closely examined. In addition, the course will examine the ethics and rapidly evolving legal/regulatory policy and practice issues with data and advanced technologies, and how this evolving ethics/regulatory field will impact organizations and their legal providers. NOTE: Final paper required in lieu of exam. UPPER-CLASS WRITING REQUIREMENT: A limited number of students may use this class to satisfy the requirement either partially or in full.

Note that this information may change at any time. Please visit the MyBU Student Portal for the most up-to-date course information.