During the Fall 1 term, MSL students get acclimated to the study of law, the rhythm of classes, and modes of studying; they also learn about the various initiatives and activities going on at the law school that are of special interest to them. One opportunity that always engages MSL students is the Law & Technology Initiative, led by Professor Dan Linna. Because this initiative brings together topics that MSL students develop expertise in and care a lot about – law and its intersection with technology – it is of particular interest to the MSL community; some MSL alumni even decide to pursue career options in this space.
The Law & Technology Initiative includes a variety of activities focused on how technology can improve the delivery of legal services and access to justice, and also how law and regulation can facilitate and govern the use of technology in a variety of fields. The Initiative sponsors a monthly meeting that focuses on cutting-edge topics at this intersection, such as Ethical Issues in Artificial Intelligence; Developing Technology Tools for Legal-Services Delivery; Open Data, Analytics, and the Future of Law; and Legal Prediction: Possibilities and Pitfalls.
Earlier this month, Professor Linna introduced MSL students to the Law & Technology Initiative at a lunchtime presentation; he discussed potential job paths for MSL students in this area, as well as substantive topics, such as the role of AI and computational technologies in innovation, improving the delivery of legal services, closing the justice gap by leveraging technology, and developing new business models for the practice of law. Professor Linna also discussed opportunities for MSL students to grow their expertise in these areas, including – of course – a variety of curricular classes in this area, such as the Innovation Lab, Quantitative Reasoning in the Law, Litigation Operations and eDiscovery, Assessing AI & Computational Technologies, Project Management in Regulated Industries, Strategic Decision Analysis: Gaining Competitive Advantage in an Uncertain World, and many more.
In addition to a range of relevant classes, there are frequent events and panels in this area, allowing MSL students to learn from professionals – including some MSL alumni – who are leveraging their technical expertise to work in the legal sector. A great example of MSL graduates working in the legal industry are members of the legal team at Village MD, which includes Arqam Khan (MSL ’19 and Janessa Nelson (MSL ’18). These MSL alums have found a way to combine their interests in law and healthcare in positions at an innovative company that sees the value in employing intersectional thinkers in its legal department. As more companies catch on to the value of having “crossover” professionals, MSL training will become increasingly important in the marketplace.
For a more in-depth look at this Law & Tech Initiative, check out this link: Northwestern Law & Technology Initiative, and for more information on the MSL program’s involvement with legal technology, read our previous MSL 360 blog posts related to Legal Technology.
