LLB467 Law, Innovation and Technology Industry Project

Unit Outline: Semester 2 2024, Gardens Point, Internal

Overview

This WIL unit provides you with a real world opportunity to work with industry partners to apply your legal knowledge in the context of legal technology. During this unit, you will take part in a series of workshops to further develop your understanding of the relationship between technology and law, and then you will produce a technological solution to a legal problem in a group. You will create your solution under supervision from an industry mentor and ultimately present this deliverable. The expectation is that this will be client-ready and add real value to how your industry partner delivers legal services. 

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

1. Identify technology issues applicable in legal practice and data governance (CLOs 1.1, 1.3, 1.5, 3.1)
2. Apply problem solving and critical thinking skills to develop practical legal technology solutions and data governance (CLOs 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.2, 3.3, 5.1)
3. Effectively communicate in written, oral, and digital formats (CLOs 4.1, 4.2, 4.3)
4. Evaluate and reflect on your application of discipline-specific and professional knowledge and skills and implement personal learning strategies (CLOs 1.1, 2.3, 5.2)

Content

Learning Approaches

This unit employs a self-directed and active approach to project-based learning in an authentic work context.

Your participation in this unit includes:

• Engagement in live workshops with academics and lawyers
• Attendance as required by your industry partner (see note below in 'Requirements')
• Experiential learning and reflective practice
• Industry supervisor's feedback
• Active independent learning 

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

You will receive feedback on the assessment items and learning activities in the unit through written comments on criteria sheets and the opportunity for individual contact with the unit coordinator throughout the semester. In addition, your supervising industry partner will provide you with ongoing feedback throughout your WIL experience, including feedback provided through Canvas, an interim report and a written response on completion of your placement.

You should reflect upon the feedback on your assessment in this unit (both your individual and generic feedback as provided on Canvas) for the purpose of identifying:

• gaps in your knowledge and understanding of legal principles 
• inadequacies in your problem solving methodology
• strategies to improve your problem solving, oral and written communication skills in further assessment
• areas for improvement for future studies within the LLB, including legal research strategies
• the connection between writing reflectively and your continued professional development as a lawyer.

Assessment

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Portfolio (Part 1)

You will identify a particular legal problem and propose how to solve it using legal and technical skills and knowledge. Your portfolio will include the following elements: 

- Memo to industry partner including consultation plan

- Reflection

The final grade also includes a supervisor assessment (5%).

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Assessment: Presentation

You will complete a short presentation (virtual or live) to your industry partner and fellow students on your project. This task provides you with an opportunity to present your project to key stakeholders. Group presentations must include a general section and specific sections for each presenter to provide individual reflections.

The late submission period does not apply, and no assignment extensions are available.

Assessment: Portfolio (Part 2)

You will detail your proposed solution including a summary of the particular legal problem, a recommended resolution, and implementation instructions. Your portfolio will include the following elements: 

- An outline of your proposed solution through a memo to your supervising industry partner to advise on the particular legal problem, what steps you recommend as to how they might resolve it, and implementation instructions

- Reflection

The final grade also includes a supervisor assessment (5%).

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Academic Integrity

Students are expected to engage in learning and assessment at QUT with honesty, transparency and fairness. Maintaining academic integrity means upholding these principles and demonstrating valuable professional capabilities based on ethical foundations.

Failure to maintain academic integrity can take many forms. It includes cheating in examinations, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, and submitting an assessment item completed by another person (e.g. contract cheating). It can also include providing your assessment to another entity, such as to a person or website.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Further details of QUT’s approach to academic integrity are outlined in the Academic integrity policy and the Student Code of Conduct. Breaching QUT’s Academic integrity policy is regarded as student misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Requirements to Study

Requirements

All students must attend workshops as well as activities in-person or online to be held at their industry partner's offices in Brisbane or selected location. If you are not able to commit to this attendance requirement, please do not enrol in this unit. 

You will be required to view the QUT WIL Health and Safety PowerPoint, Managing your rights, responsibilities and safety on placement, which will be shown to you in Workshop 1. You may also be required to undertake an induction in the relevant workplace.

Resources

Risk Assessment Statement

While undertaking activities related to your project you will be covered by QUT workers' compensation, public liability and professional indemnity insurance. You must familiarise yourself with the workplace health and safety rules of the particular workplace you attend.

You may have to sign a confidentiality agreement whereby you agree not to disclose any information learned in the course of the placement to any person outside the field placement office. You will need to understand matters of intellectual property, conflict of interest and insurance, which are also detailed in the Health and Safety resources.