JUS5671 – Legal Technology: Artificial Intelligence and Law

Schedule, syllabus and examination date

Course content

Legal Technology refers to the use of technology, software and computer analytics to provide legal services and justice. It is increasingly transforming legal practice and institutions and the nature of law and research. The most prominent development is the rise of computational applications in artificial intelligence in legal fields diverse as asylum, contracts, policing and finance. Moreover, creative uses of digital platforms and blockchain technology are providing new possibilities in dispute resolution, legal registries and private law orderings.
This course will critically explore current trends and future possibilities of this transformation from the perspectives of legal science, computer science, social science and ethics. Students will:

  • Learn about long-standing theory in law and artificial intelligence
  • Study the rise of diverse computational law methods and processes
  • Explore potential future applications and development
  • Critically examine the sociology and ethics of this transformation for law and the legal profession. 
  • Meet leading legal technology actors 

Admission

You may register for this course if you have admission to a Master’s programme at UiO or the faculty's exchange programme. You can also register for this course if you do not have admission to any programme at UiO, but meet the formal prerequistites. All students are required meet the formal prerequistites.

Have you met the formal prerequisites at another institution than the University of Oslo, and the results are not formally registered at UiO, you must apply for admission to courses at Master’s level . Students with admission to Master’s degree programmes at other faculties than The Faculty of Law must also apply for admission.

When your admission is in order you must register for courses in StudentWeb

You may register for this course if you have admission to a Master of Law-programme at UiO or the faculty's exchange-programme, priorety will be given to students enrolled in the Information and Communication Technology Law (ICTL) programme. All applicants must fill the formal prerequisites.

There are limited places in this course, maximum 40 students.  

International applicants, if you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures for international applicants

Prerequisites

Formal prerequisite knowledge

Students must fill one of these requirements:

  • Passed 1st - 3rd year of the 5-years degree Master of Laws (Master i rettsvitenskap at UiO) (or exams that qualify for exemption for these) or
  • Hold a 5-years Master’s degree in Laws (Master i rettsvitenskap at UiO) or equivalent.

Exemptions from the formal prerequisites will be given to students with admission to the faculty's own exchange or master’s degree programmes. This rule does not apply to students with admission to other master’s degree programmes at the University of Oslo, unless otherwise agreed.

Recommended previous knowledge

Three years of law studies. In addition, it is recommended that students have a general understanding of information and communications technology (ICT) law. It is recommended that students combine this course with other courses focusing on ICT Law.

Overlapping courses

10 credits overlap with JUR1671 – Legal Technology: Artificial Intelligence and Law

Teaching

Lectures/seminars, 22 hours.

Compulsory activity: In order to ensure good group dynamics, students must attend 80% of the lectures. 

Language of teaching for this course is English. This means that all communication during lectures/seminars will be in English, and all literature and auxiliary materials are in English.

Students will be assigned to a group. Students will be allowed to submit a prioritised list of the projects they wish to participate on. The final assignment to groups is at the discretion of the course teacher. As group work is a part of the learning outcomes of this course, there will not be an opportunity to submit individual exams in this subject. 

Examination

In the spring semester 2024, the assessment is as follows:

  • A written group report on legal technology ( max. 2000-3000 words per student) ca. 2/3 of the grade
  • An oral presentation of the project and an oral exam, ca. 1/3 of the grade

Students work together in groups throughout the semester. Students will receive a single grade in the subject based on their contribution to the group project and the oral exam. 

Footnotes should be included in the word count of the main text. Not included in this count: front page (title etc.), summary, table of contents and references (bibliography). (If relevant for the paper).

Assignments/papers with text exceeding the word limit will not be accepted.

Examination support material

This is an open book exam. Candidates may therefore make use of all available sources during the examination period.

Your exam paper must be an independent work unless you present/submit as a group. 

General rules on exam support materials

Use of sources and rules for citing

Familiarize yourself with the use of sources and citations in legal writing. In an exam situation, using other people’s material without declaring it in a clear manner may be considered cheating or an attempt at cheating. You must cite any sources you draw on.

If you break the rules, you may be suspected of cheating or attempted cheating.

Language of examination

The examination text is given in English, and you submit your response in English.

Grading scale

Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.

Marking criteria 

This  guide is used by examiners for grading this course.

Explanations and appeals

Please note that the subject has an oral exam, you can only appeal the grade for written elements.

Resit an examination

Withdrawal from an examination

It is possible to take this exam up to 3 times. If you withdraw from the exam after the deadline or during the exam, this will be counted as an examination attempt.

There are special rules for resitting a passed examination in the master's programme in Law.

Special examination arrangements

Application form, deadline and requirements for special examination arrangements.

Evaluation

The course is subject to continuous evaluation. At regular intervals we also ask students to participate in a more comprehensive evaluation.

Other

The language for this course is English. Students enrolled in the Masterprogrammet i rettsvitenskap must pass one English subject as part of their degree, this course will meet these obligations.

This subject is taught at Master 's level. The subject is also taught at Bachelor's level (10 ECTS credits), see JUR1671 – Legal Technology: Artificial Intelligence and Law. Please see the chapter above, regarding overlap. For instances of overlap, credits will be deducted on the subject at Bachelors's Level.

Facts about this course

Credits
10
Level
Master
Teaching
Every spring
Examination
Every spring
Teaching language
English