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Are you a young law graduate looking for something other than what 95% of your peers are obsessed about (making it in the law firm world)?? Or do you want to be a part of the “new-gen” lawyers that have fruitful careers beyond the courtroom and traditional law offices? Or are you looking for a better lifestyle and work-life harmony? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, you will find this blog post useful. 

In the modern world, technology has come like a gigantic force and has disrupted industries after industries. This has happened to the extent that virtually very few industries in the world are left untouched by its power. 

Even in the legal industry, technology is infiltrating and reinventing how the whole economics of the legal services industry works. With the rise of legal technology, a whole new industry has come up, and it is missing a key element crucial to its success: talent. 

For young professionals in law, this is a golden opportunity: an opportunity to differentiate themselves from 99% of the peers and carve out a career path where you can find recognition, reward, and make a real and meaningful difference. If you are a lawyer, you should focus on getting interdisciplinary knowledge and also tech-based legal training which law schools don’t teach you (surprise, surprise). 

The world of legal tech often fascinates young professionals, but the information that is out there doesn’t give sufficient information about how to break into a career in legal tech. If you are looking to get started in legal tech, here are some courses to help you get started.


Contents

What are Legal Tech Courses?

Top Global Legal Tech Courses for Lawyers

Who Can Apply for Legal Tech Courses?

Why Legal Tech Courses are Vital

What are Legal Tech Courses?

Legal tech (technology) has rapidly become mainstream, with top lawyers and law firms incorporating technology to gain more edge over their competitors. It has also gained the spotlight due to the various alternative law careers it has birthed. Legal designers, legal marketers, legal technologists and law process analysts are some of the various emerging law careers that step outside the conventional zone.

However, if you plan to enter any of these alternative career fields, you need specialisation and training that does not come from a 3- or 5-year law graduation programme. While the task was somewhat difficult in the past, it is more approachable and achievable now.

There are various universities, law schools and online platforms that have created unique legal tech courses and certificate programmes. These programmes focus on understanding legal technology such as automation, AI, blockchain, machine learning and Big Data. These legal tech courses also allow students to develop new skills and legal problem-solving abilities with the use of technology.

One of the best things about these legal tech courses is that they are recognised worldwide. They add value to your resume. You get a competitive edge while applying for a job with legal tech startups and even top law firms. Let’s explore some of the top legal tech courses available around the world.

Top Global Legal Tech Courses for Lawyers

University of Law, UK

The University of Law in the United Kingdoms offers Postgraduate Diploma and Postgraduate Certificate in Legal Technology Online. The duration is 34 weeks full-time / 68 weeks part-time for PD. For PC in Legal Technology Online, the duration is 17 weeks full-time / 34 weeks part-time.

The university also offers a Master of Sciences (MSc) in Legal Technology Online as a full-time Master’s programme. These legal tech courses can help you understand the application of artificial intelligence, blockchain, marketing, business psychology, etc. in legal functions.

BPP Law School

The BPP law school in the UK has also introduced a new professional development legal tech course on Legal Technology- Innovation and Design in Law Firms. The course teaches students about legal technology, innovation in law firms, legal design thinking, project management, process mapping, risk management, cybersecurity and much more. The course costs £299 and is completely online.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology or MIT has also launched a professional certificate programme in Legal Tech in the Digital Era. The programme covers six areas – legal tech, marketing, leadership and innovation, digital transformation, key account management, and cloud and DevOps. It is a 13-month programme available online for $14,950.

Suffolk Law School

The Suffolk Law School in Boston, USA also offers a Legal Innovation & Technology Certificate Programme. The programme covers areas such as legal process outsourcing, e-discovery, digital client lead management, document automation, law practice automation, and more.

Vanderbilt Law School

The Vanderbilt Law School also started a programme on Law and Innovation in 2015. It offers training to the new generation of lawyers on legal technologies, innovation, entrepreneurship and risk management.

University of Ottawa – Centre for Law, Technology and Society

The Centre for Law, Technology and Society at the University of Ottawa offers various legal tech courses – a JD, post-graduate, microprogram and even an LLM in law and technology.

Swansea University

Swansea University offers a LegalTech LLM programme that covers areas like artificial intelligence, blockchain, Big Data, etc. and their impact on legal services. The programme also includes modules on computational thinking, digital intellectual property, legal tech entrepreneurship and digital rights.

IE Law School

The IE Law School in Spain also offers a Masters in Legal Tech, a 12-month programme available in English. The legal tech course is part-time and focuses on aspects like law and technology, law and digital business transformation and tech for law. The programme costs 31.700€ and the entire admission process can be done online.

University of Florida

The University of Florida offers a course on AI, Machine Learning and Ethics in Law and Regulation. It focuses on legal, policy and moral aspects of AI, Big Data, predictive analytics, etc. in law.

Additionally, there are various online education platforms like Coursera that partner with universities worldwide to offer numerous certificate legal tech courses.

Who Can Apply for Legal Tech Courses?

These and many other legal tech courses are open for any lawyer or law student. You can apply for these courses if you want to specialise in the field or gain a more comprehensive insight into the sector. However, these programmes are absolutely vital for you if you fall into any of the following categories:

  • GCs and in-house lawyers who need a better understanding of the applicability of technology in legal operations.

  • Sole practitioners and law firm partners who want to automate their legal practice.

  • Technology innovators who want to create new legal technology.

  • Legal marketing and business management professionals.

  • Legal consultants, legal designers, process analysts or project managers.

Why Legal Tech Courses are Vital

The legal industry is changing at a higher speed than it has changed ever in recent history. Technology has become a key propellor in this development, forcing legal professionals to rethink how legal models and functions work.

Legal tech allows innovation in law, but you cannot practically put it to use without proper training and education in the sector. These legal tech courses can position you better in this digital market, enabling you to extend your services in a better way. They can also help you apply your compound skills and position yourself as a niche expert.

These programmes are just a start. The future of legal tech courses is bright as their demand is steadily increasing. With more alternative law careers mushrooming, more and more law schools and universities are going to offer specialisation programmes that help law students and legal professionals drive efficiency and improvement in their delivery of legal services. Undoubtedly, learning and discovering legal tech and its application is an opportunity that cannot be missed!

 

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