Diploma in Professional Legal Practice PgDip
Introduction to Legal Innovation and Technology (DPLP) LAW5178
- Academic Session: 2026-27
- School: School of Law
- Credits: 15
- Level: Level 5 (SCQF level 11)
- Typically Offered: Semester 2
- Available to Visiting Students: No
- Collaborative Online International Learning: No
- Curriculum For Life: No
Short Description
An elective course within the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice. It will equip students with practical skills to assist them in practising in any area of law.
Timetable
5 x 1 hour lecture
11 x 2 hour tutorial
Delivery of these Module elements will, in the main, be by such IT-based methods as are currently utilised by the School or other departments, for example MOOCs, Webinars etc .
Excluded Courses
None
Co-requisites
None
Assessment
1. Tutorial preparation, performance and participation 20%
2. Presentation of Toolkit 40%
3. Presentation of Strategic Plan 40%
Main Assessment In: April/May
Are reassessment opportunities available for all summative assessments? No
It is the default expectation that all courses will offer opportunities for reassessment or deferred assessment. Where it is not possible to offer this in some assessment components, the grade achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade, and any exceptions for this course are described below.
[No exceptions]
Course Aims
The course aims are:
1. To provide students with an introduction to legal innovation and how this impact law in practise;
2. To allow students the opportunity to apply technology to the law by way of understanding coding and systems utilised by legal practices;
3. To introduce students to how technology assists access to justice;
4. To enable students to understand basic intellectual property issues;
5. To develop students' understanding of Alternative Business Structures (ABS) in law.
Intended Learning Outcomes of Course
By the end of this course students will be able to:
1. Demonstrate understanding of how Information Technology, Artificial Intelligence and Legal Informatics are changing the legal landscape;
2. Apply knowledge of technology in law to practical issues eg cybersecurity, data and privacy and the digital economy;
3. Understand coding and legal software at a basic level;
4. Understand the business of law, including Alternative Business Structures and how this can affect career development.