CQUniversity Unit Profile
LAWS13019 Legal Automation
Legal Automation
All details in this unit profile for LAWS13019 have been officially approved by CQUniversity and represent a learning partnership between the University and you (our student).
The information will not be changed unless absolutely necessary and any change will be clearly indicated by an approved correction included in the profile.
General Information

Overview

This unit is designed for students who want to develop knowledge and skills in the automation of the practice of law. This unit incorporates theory, research and the practical application of legal project management, process improvement and innovation frameworks, expert systems, document and process automation, data analytics, machine learning and blockchain. Students will examine software systems that empower consumers including lawyerless internet-based systems that vend interactive documents and intelligent legal assistance. Intelligent systems designed for lawyers to produce inexpensive transactional outcomes will be considered. The challenges, threats, opportunities and ethical considerations associated with these developments will be explored. Consideration will also be given as to how governments, pro bono and community legal centres may directly benefit from automation. Through engagement with legal knowledge engineering, students will develop a legal App. No programming experience or other technical knowledge is required.

Details

Career Level: Undergraduate
Unit Level: Level 3
Credit Points: 6
Student Contribution Band: 10
Fraction of Full-Time Student Load: 0.125

Pre-requisites or Co-requisites

Co-requisites: LAWS11057 and LAWS11059

Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).

Offerings For Term 1 - 2022

Online

Attendance Requirements

All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).

Class and Assessment Overview

Recommended Student Time Commitment

Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.

Class Timetable

Bundaberg, Cairns, Emerald, Gladstone, Mackay, Rockhampton, Townsville
Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney

Assessment Overview

1. Practical Assessment
Weighting: 80%
2. Group Work
Weighting: 20%

Assessment Grading

This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.

Previous Student Feedback

Feedback, Recommendations and Responses

Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.

Feedback from The lecturer

Feedback

Collaboration with industry

Recommendation

A closer work with Josef Legal (an Australian legal chat bot) could be valuable. Josef offers a program for educational institutions, their team was willing to consider lesser or no charge. Their program could be a solid backbone for the unit and provide real world experience to the students with legal automation without the need to have prior technical knowledge. An additional option is to include a class on documents automation and discovery, technologies that are very prominent in the legal sphere.

Unit Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
  1. Apply process improvement and innovation frameworks to the delivery of legal work
  2. Identify aspects of legal work and new forms of service delivery that can be automated
  3. Classify what ethical and regulatory issues are presented by lawyering using intelligent machines
  4. Construct a software application that can model legal knowledge and reasoning to perform useful legal work for non lawyers.
Alignment of Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Graduate Attributes
N/A Level
Introductory Level
Intermediate Level
Graduate Level
Professional Level
Advanced Level

Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes

Assessment Tasks Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4
1 - Practical Assessment - 80%
2 - Group Work - 20%

Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes

Graduate Attributes Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4
1 - Communication
2 - Problem Solving
3 - Critical Thinking
4 - Information Literacy
5 - Team Work
6 - Information Technology Competence
7 - Cross Cultural Competence
8 - Ethical practice
9 - Social Innovation
10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures

Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes

Assessment Tasks Graduate Attributes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
1 - Practical Assessment - 80%
2 - Group Work - 20%
Textbooks and Resources

Textbooks

There are no required textbooks.

IT Resources

You will need access to the following IT resources:
  • CQUniversity Student Email
  • Internet
  • Unit Website (Moodle)
Referencing Style

All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Australian Guide to Legal Citation, 4th ed

For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.

Teaching Contacts
Nachshon Goltz Unit Coordinator
n.goltz@cqu.edu.au
Stephen Colbran Unit Coordinator
s.colbran@cqu.edu.au
Schedule
Week 1 Introduction to legal technology Begin Date: 07 Mar 2022

Module/Topic

Chapter

Frank Pasquale, A Rule of Persons, Not Machines: The Limits of Legal Automation, 87 GEO. Wash. L. REV. 1 (2019).

Pagallo, U., & Durante, M. (2016). The Pros and Cons of Legal Automation and its Governance. European Journal of Risk Regulation, 7(2), 323-334.

Michael Simon , Alvin F. Lindsay, Loly Sosa & Paige Comparato, Lola v Skadden and the Automation of the Legal Profession, 20 YALE J.L. & TECH. 234 (2018).

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 2 Ethics, Challenges, Threats, and Opportunities of Legal Automation Begin Date: 14 Mar 2022

Module/Topic

Chapter

Nachshon Goltz & Giulia Dondoli, ‘A Note on Science, Legal Research and Artificial Intelligence’ (2019) 28(3) Information & Communication Technology Law 239.

Nachshon Goltz & Joel Gilmore, ‘The Work of Law in the Age of Artificial Intelligence’ (March–April 2018) Journal of Robotics, Artificial Intelligence & Law 1(2) 27.

Maas, M. M. (2019). International law does not compute: Artificial intelligence and the development, displacement or destruction of the global legal order. Melbourne Journal of International Law, 20(1), 29–57.

Calls9, Main Challenges Facing Law Firms, Threats From Technology, https://legaltech.calls9.com/insights/main-challenges-facing-law-firms-threats-from-technology/

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 3 Chatbots - Josephlegal Begin Date: 21 Mar 2022

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Design a chatbot based on legislation

Week 4 Workshop - chatbots Begin Date: 28 Mar 2022

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Students to present their chatbot design and receive feedback

Week 5 Analysing Legal Automation Use Begin Date: 04 Apr 2022

Module/Topic

Chapter

Altman, Weil, Flesh, Chief Legal Officer Survey (2018), <http://www.altmanweil.com/dir_docs/resource/154F22DC-E519-4CE2-991D-492A0448C74F_document.pdf>

Lawsites, Plot Thickens In Thomson Reuters’ Lawsuit Against ROSS, As It Subpoenas Docs from Fastcase, Morae, https://www.lawnext.com/2021/10/plot-thickens-in-thomson-reuters-lawsuit-against-ross-as-it-subpoenas-docs-from-fastcase-morae.html

AI in Law and Legal Practice – A Comprehensive View of 35 Current Applications, https://emerj.com/ai-sector-overviews/ai-in-law-legal-practice-current-applications/

Events and Submissions/Topic

Submit final chatbot design

Vacation Week Begin Date: 11 Apr 2022

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 6 Workshop – prototype of legal application Begin Date: 18 Apr 2022

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Explaining the prototype of legal application assignment

Week 7 Legal automation in research tools Begin Date: 25 Apr 2022

Module/Topic

Chapter

Nachshon Goltz et al., ‘Rethinking Global Regulation, World’s Law Meets Artificial Intelligence’ (2019) Information & Communication Technology Law 28(1)

Digital Anti-Corruption Tools and Their Implementation in Various Legal Systems Around the World

Halai, Andrii; Halai, Viktoriia; Hrechaniuk, Roksolana; Datsko, Kateryna. SHS Web of Conferences; Les Ulis, Vol. 100, (2021). https://www.proquest.com/docview/2507670519?pq-origsite=gscholar&fromopenview=true

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 8 Workshop – prototype of legal application Begin Date: 02 May 2022

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Assignment progress

Week 9 Legal automation and Blockchain Begin Date: 09 May 2022

Module/Topic

Chapter

Marcelo Corrales, Mark Fenwick, Helena Haapio (Eds), Legal Tech, Smart Contracts and Blockchain, https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/978-981-13-6086-2.pdf

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 10 Workshop – prototype of legal application Begin Date: 16 May 2022

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Assignment progress

Week 11 Legal Automation in Courts, Pro-Bono and Government Begin Date: 23 May 2022

Module/Topic

Chapter

Queensland community legal centres’ use of technology Literature review and discussion paper August 2014, https://law.uq.edu.au/files/1260/Qld-CLCs-and-technology-August-2014.pdf

Monika Zalnieriute, Technology and the Courts: Artificial Intelligence and Judicial Impartiality, https://www.alrc.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/3-.-Monika-Zalnieriute-Public.pdf

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 12 Presentation of student projects – prototype of legal application Begin Date: 30 May 2022

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Final project - the prototype of legal application due


Practical Assessment 80% Due: Week 12 Monday (30 May 2022) 11:59 pm AEST
Group discussion 20% Due: Week 12 Friday (3 June 2022) 11:59 pm AEST
Presentation of student projects – prototype of legal application Begin Date: 06 Jun 2022

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Final project - the prototype of legal application continued

Assessment Tasks

1 Practical Assessment

Assessment Title
Practical Assessment 80%

Task Description

Part 1

Students are expected to work either individually or in couples to create the following:

A chatbot design of legislation for the benefit of non-lawyers (20%) – due end of week 5.

Outcomes

Apply your critical and in-depth understanding, to create a design that will answer a layperson’s in-depth questions.

This is one of the most challenging tasks – you should have enough grasp of the content in order to teach what you have learned.

Overview

Choose a piece of legislation. Using this legislation, create a flowchart diagram (design for a chatbot). Your chatbot design will answer questions regarding this legislation. Consider how a layperson would converse with a chat-bot regarding this legislation.

The chatbot is expected to provide a diagrammatic workflow of a number of potential conversations through a question and answer approach.

You should also submit a 500-word reflection describing the challenges you encountered, lessons learned and future recommendations.

Your performance will be mainly evaluated based on the depth and efficiency of your chatbot design.

Instructions

  1. Chose a piece of legislation (all topics and jurisdictions are allowed). You do not need to include the entire Act/regulation – simply choose a section or set of sections dealing with a specific topic. Send your chosen legislation to the lecturer for approval.

  2. Create a set of questions, and potential answers for this legislation.

  3. Create a flowchart of your design. The same questions may be answered by the same answer while some answers may yield follow up questions and answers.

  4. Write a 500-word explanation of the main elements in your design.

Part 2

A prototype for legal application including market research (60%) – due start of week 12;

Student teams of two will work in consultation to produce:

  1. A design for a technological solution to a legal issue.

  2. A “whitepaper” explaining the nature of the challenge, the solution proposed, and an explanation of why the group designed the solution in that way.

  3. A ten-minute pitch.

You have two options:

  1. Choose your own challenge; or

  2. Solve the following challenge:

The government is interested in creating an online service that will provide real-time keyword-based email alerts on most of the official documents involved in the legislative process at the Commonwealth and State level in Australia.

The goal is to have a dynamic, data driven interface that allows the user to follow the legislative process of whatever he/she is interested in, including real-time data, predictions, special features and more. A kind of one stop dynamic solution for the legislative process. The user can follow the process with regard to a specific bill, or follow multiple processes with regard to a specific topic. Try to think through the potential user’s eyes – what would be his/her dream solution?

It must be graphic, friendly and intuitive. Should reflect the user’s needs. Should be forward thinking – not only what the user needs, what he will want and even does not know about it (e.g., Ford – ‘faster horses’). Keep it simple. Be innovative. While we want you to stretch your design, ask whether it may be technically possible.



Assessment Due Date

Week 12 Monday (30 May 2022) 11:59 pm AEST

Part 1 - Chatbot (due end of week 5); Part 2 Prototype legal application (due start of week 12)


Return Date to Students

Exam Week Friday (17 June 2022)


Weighting
80%

Assessment Criteria

Assessment criteria – Practical Assignment

STANDARDS
Assessment Criteria High Distinction (HD) Distinction (D) Credit (C) Pass (P) Fail (N)
Project definition and scope20% marks Clear and comprehensive definition of a substantial and significant project topic (including statement of purpose and relevance) and scope (including context, boundaries and assumptions). Clear and complete definition of substantial project topic (including statement of purpose and relevance) and scope (including context, boundaries and assumptions). Informed definition of substantial project topic (including statement of purpose and relevance) and scope (including context, boundaries and assumptions). Adequate definition of sufficient project topic and scope. Ambiguity and possible scope creep exist. Some constraints defined. Poor or incomplete definition of project topic and scope. Much ambiguity and possible scope creep. Constraints not defined.
Presentation20% marks Excellent use of graphics (extensive and relevant use of illustrations, flow charts, process diagrams) to convey ideas. Very good use of graphics (use of relevant illustrations, flow charts, process diagrams) to convey ideas. Good use of graphics (use of relevant illustrations, flow charts, process diagrams) to convey ideas. Use of graphics (some use of illustrations, flow charts, process diagrams etc) to convey ideas. Poor or no use of graphics (illustrations, flow charts, process diagrams etc) to convey ideas.
Synthesis20% marks Project components have been persuasively brought together logically and creatively: logical arguments justify and innovative ideas guide the statements and plans. The submission includes an evaluation of highly pertinent alternative approaches. Project components have been brought together logically and creatively: logical arguments justify and innovative ideas guide the statements and plans. The submission includes an evaluation of alternative approaches. Logical arguments used to justify statements and plans. The approach is systematic and includes an evaluation of alternative approaches Arguments used to justify statements and plans. The approach is methodical and includes some consideration of alternative approaches. Minimal use of tools research and theory, to justify statements and plans. The approach is unsystematic and alternative approaches are not considered.


Referencing Style

Submission
Online Group

Submission Instructions
Submission individually or as part of a two person group.

Learning Outcomes Assessed
  • Apply process improvement and innovation frameworks to the delivery of legal work
  • Identify aspects of legal work and new forms of service delivery that can be automated
  • Classify what ethical and regulatory issues are presented by lawyering using intelligent machines
  • Construct a software application that can model legal knowledge and reasoning to perform useful legal work for non lawyers.


Graduate Attributes
  • Communication
  • Problem Solving
  • Critical Thinking
  • Information Literacy
  • Information Technology Competence
  • Ethical practice

2 Group Work

Assessment Title
Group discussion 20%

Task Description

Group discussion 20%

Students are expected to regularly participate in subject zoom sessions and any online discussion forums.


Assessment Due Date

Week 12 Friday (3 June 2022) 11:59 pm AEST

Continuous assessment weeks 1-12.


Return Date to Students

Exam Week Friday (17 June 2022)


Weighting
20%

Assessment Criteria

Group discussion 20%


Criterion HD/D C P F
Attendance 50% Attendance at 10-12 face to face or online tutorials in the semester. Attendance at 7-9 face to face or online tutorials in the semester. Attendance at 4-6 face to face or online tutorials in the semester. Attendance at fewer than 4 face to face or online tutorials in the semester.
37+ 32+ 25+ 9+
Frequency 20%
  • Timing


  • Promptness
Prompt and regular participation in online activities. Regular participation in online activities. Haphazard or inconsistent participation in online activities. Does not participate or misses deadlines.
16+ 14+ 10+ 6+
Engagement with learning materials 10% Seeks clarification, asks questions, makes comments in online and tutorial discussions which demonstrate high level of engagement with online learning materials. Seeks clarification, asks questions, makes comments in online and tutorial discussions which demonstrate engagement with online learning materials. Demonstrates some engagement with online learning materials. Fails to demonstrate engagement with online learning materials.
8+ 7+ 7+ 3+
Relevancy 10% A high degree of relevance to the online activities and materials is demonstrated in online and tutorial discussion. A clear connection to the learning activities and online materials is usually demonstrated in online and tutorial discussion. Loose or vague connections to the learning activities are demonstrated in online and tutorial discussion. Failure to demonstrate relevance to learning activities or online materials in online and tutorial discussion.
8+ 7+ 7+ 3+
Clarity 10% Expresses opinions and ideas in a clear and concise manner. Opinions and ideas are stated in a clear way. Verbose or unclear expressions or ideas and opinions. Plagiarised or lacking clarity or fluency.
8+ 7+ 7+ 3+


Referencing Style

Submission
Online

Submission Instructions
Individual continuous assessment.

Learning Outcomes Assessed
  • Apply process improvement and innovation frameworks to the delivery of legal work
  • Identify aspects of legal work and new forms of service delivery that can be automated
  • Classify what ethical and regulatory issues are presented by lawyering using intelligent machines
  • Construct a software application that can model legal knowledge and reasoning to perform useful legal work for non lawyers.


Graduate Attributes
  • Communication
  • Problem Solving
  • Critical Thinking

Academic Integrity Statement

As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.

Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.

When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.

Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.

As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.

What is a breach of academic integrity?

A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.

Why is academic integrity important?

A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.

Where can I get assistance?

For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.

What can you do to act with integrity?