Law, Innovation and Technology (M3046)

15 credits, Level 5

Spring teaching

On this module you'll examine the evolving relationship between law, technology, and innovation.
You'll focus on:

• understanding how legal frameworks respond to and shape emerging technologies
• exploring how digital technologies (including AI) are changing legal practice and access to justice.

You'll think critically about the role of law in:

• shaping technological development
• managing risks in a rapidly changing digital landscape.

You'll also engage with the practical dimensions of legal tech, including automation, analytics, and legal design.

Through hands-on seminars and an end-of-term hackathon, you'll:

• identify key legal issues raised by emerging technologies
• assess their implications for different stakeholders
• apply legal design and problem-solving methods.

You'll develop responsible, inclusive interventions tailored to courts, firms, regulators, and legal advice settings.

Contact hours and workload

This module is approximately 150 hours of work. This breaks down into about 20 hours of contact time and about 130 hours of independent study. The University may make minor variations to the contact hours for operational reasons, including timetabling requirements.

We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2025/26. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum.

We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.

Courses

This module is offered on the following courses:

• Law LLB
• Law with American Studies (with a study abroad year) LLB
• Law with Business and Management LLB
• Law with Criminology LLB
• Law with International Relations LLB
• Law with Politics LLB
• Law with a Language LLB