Technology transforms every profession, and the legal field is no exception. The current era of pervasive digital technologies requires new conversations about the intersection of technology and law. Technology professionals must understand the state, national and domain laws that impact their work, and legal professionals must have expertise in technological tools and systems. The online Master of Legal Studies (MLS) in Digital Law and Technology program from Northern Kentucky University (NKU) provides students with the comprehensive, intersectional expertise needed to navigate this complex field.
In law, people interpret, apply and build on the rules that govern social reality. Emerging technologies are impacting societal norms and developing rules in evolving ways. In this rapidly changing environment, technological advancements intersect with legal practices and processes in compelling ways, necessitating new legal frameworks.
What Is Legal Technology’s Positive Impact Within the Profession?
Technological advancement in the legal profession is producing powerful tools that streamline workflows and help firms operate cost-effectively. Technology-driven law firms enjoy advantages in access to information, communication with clients about the daily progress of their cases and analytics to help optimize legal strategies.
Attorneys use software to automate fee collection and processing, reduce manual data entry and human errors, and provide greater transparency to clients. Artificial intelligence and machine learning tools reduce the need for administrative professionals by automating paperwork processing and handling some phases of case research. In addition, blockchain technologies now enable secure contract delivery and signatures of sensitive documents.
Technology and Its Intersection With the Law
As technology evolves, legal professionals must grapple with its implications in various ways. Legal teams must work with technology companies from the outset of innovation to avoid major missteps. Here are a few examples found in the Northern Kentucky University (NKU) online Master of Legal Studies program curriculum:
Litigation risks
Technology companies face risks of producing IoT devices that can be hacked, failing to protect cloud software users with best cybersecurity practices, improperly using digital contracts, infringing on intellectual property rights and using algorithmic bias to prioritize specific populations (knowingly or not). Companies need to mitigate these risks by setting up pilot programs to develop guidance on technology use. Governments must also continue developing new laws and enforcement methods to protect the public.
NKU’s online MLS curriculum includes several courses that cover these issues, such as Emerging Technologies and the Law I and II, Digital Forensics and Law, and Law for Digital Entrepreneurs.
Data breaches
Legal professionals must work with organizations to prevent sensitive data from exposure to cyber criminals, which can lead to litigation and penalties from government regulators. Legal counsel is necessary for all companies using data to ensure adequate data protection measures and to plan for responses to breaches. Government regulators now monitor companies’ cybersecurity management practices, and agencies like the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) are adopting cybersecurity rules and enforcement measures to hold companies accountable.
NKU’s Digital Privacy and Security course explores the developing, complex web of national and international laws that govern data privacy and cybersecurity. More specifically, it examines the limitations of the existing legal framework. It also considers the policy implications of greater regulation of data collection over the internet.
FinTech
Technology is rapidly transforming how businesses and individuals conduct their financial dealings, from peer lending to digital wallets on online cryptocurrency exchanges. Bitcoin’s blockchain technology introduced the concept of distributing the storage of transaction histories, giving it the potential to revolutionize payment processing and trade settlements. All this innovation occurs in an environment where regulators and legal experts keep pace with evolving systems of laws and enforcements to protect businesses and consumers.
NKU’s Digital Commerce and the Law course addresses these issues, including e-commerce common and regulatory law, emphasizing blockchain technology.
Bridging Technology and the Law
In many ways, the law bridges different disciplines, including technology, business and finance. Without strong legal institutions and knowledgeable legal professionals, companies cannot innovate without incurring insurmountable risks.
The NKU online MLS in Digital Law and Technology program helps build and sustain this bridge. Students with a master’s degree in legal studies are equipped to mitigate the legal risks of innovation and support responsible technological progress.
Learn more about NKU’s online Master of Legal Studies in Digital Law & Technology program.
