Investigating disruptive technologies from a legal perspective

Melbourne Law School’s JD elective New Technology Law gives students the opportunity to explore the challenges and the potential of innovative technology in the law.

PwC technology partner Cam Whittfield co-teaches the JD subject New Technology Law.

JD students in the New Technology Law subject spent their winter break participating in a cutting-edge intensive subject which tracked the far-reaching implications of evolving technologies on law and legal practice.

Co-taught by Melbourne Law School’s Jeannie Paterson and PwC technology partner Cam Whittfield, this subject investigated new technologies from a legal perspective. From cloud computing, bitcoin, block chain, AI, big data, drones and the internet of things, students were asked to draw on their existing legal knowledge to explore the ways in which law, regulation and legal practice might respond to technological innovation.

Students participate in the 'Games of Threats' at PwC's Melbourne office.

Jeannie Paterson said that “it is important that today’s legal graduates understand the changes that technology is having and will have on workplaces, business and society”.

“This subject showed a high level of engagement on the part of our JD students and a strong ability to make connections between what they have learned in other subjects, such as torts or contracts, and the changes prompted by technological innovation.”

On their last day of class, students visited PwC’s Melbourne office to participate in the ‘Games of Threats’: a real time simulation of cyberattack on business or government. The hackers won the game, but perhaps not next time.

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