Law Apps
What is Law Apps?
In Law Apps students learn how to design, build and release applications and chat bots that provide legal information that is tailored to the user’s situation. The applications and chat bots use reasoning and decision processes that mimic the analysis that a lawyer applies to similar problems. Students have the opportunity of working on problems submitted by external organisations and making student pitches to work on problems that may be assisted by a tech solution. The Law Apps clinic is deliberately designed to prepare students for the post law school environment: students work in groups with a close adherence to client needs to design and build solutions that empower users.
What will I learn?
Law Apps offers students a unique opportunity to explore and apply the potential of artificial intelligence to provide practical solutions to common legal problems. It enables students to build on and develop their skills in legal analysis, creativity, problem solving and innovation. Law Apps allows students to contribute to the not-for-profit sector, external organisations and other areas of legal need to build legal empowerment and access to justice.
How is the clinic structured?
Students explore the role of technology in providing legal analysis, information and advice in Australia and overseas. Students will learn how to use a range of no code software platforms that are being used by lawyers to build efficiency and access to legal information. Students will learn and use the fundamentals of human centred design to design an appropriate solution to their project problem.
Featuring guest speakers from the profession and experts in digital technology, classes explore ways that technology is being incorporated into legal practice. Students will work in groups outside the seminars on the design, build and release of their live applications. The semester culminates with an event at which groups present their solutions to an invited panel of experts.
Where will this take me?
Technological solutions to legal problems are a growing part of the legal landscape Skills in understanding, designing and using technology in legal practice are highly valued. Lawyers in Australia and overseas are using them to provide fast, accurate and cost-effective answers to common legal problems.
About your coordinator
Associate Professor Gary Cazalet joined Melbourne Law School in 2005. Prior to joining the Law School he had been a member of the Victorian Bar, a solicitor, mediator and ethics consultant. At the Law School he has been the Director of Teaching, Co-Director of Dispute Resolution in the Masters program and Co-Convenor of the Digital Citizens Network. He introduced Law Apps to the Law School, the first subject of its type in Australia and one of the first in the world. He has particular interests in law and technology, human centred design, advocacy, dispute resolution, experiential learning, creative thinking and reflective practice.
How do I apply?
Melbourne Law School Clinics recommend that students interested in Law Apps attend one of our information sessions aimed at providing key information and answering any questions students may have.
Law Apps will open for enrolment during the timely re-enrolment period, there is no separate application.