The Program on Law and Innovation has been started at Vanderbilt Law School to equip students to navigate and influence the rapid social, economic and technological changes in the legal industry.
“Now more than ever, lawyers must be innovators,” said Chris Guthrie, dean of Vanderbilt Law School. “Legal clients increasingly demand more efficiency, lower costs and better results, and law itself is changing rapidly.
“[rquote]Our aim is to prepare all of our students for 21st century legal practice.”[/rquote]
The program will offer courses and develop internships and other experiential learning opportunities. Courses to be offered include Law Practice 2050, Technology in Legal Practice and others covering e-discovery, legal project management, law as a business and cyber law.
Mark Foley and Laura Komarek are serving as the first Law and Innovation student research fellows. They are assisting with the launching of research initiatives and planning a “legal hackathon” to form groups of students, IT professionals and attorneys who will work together to develop technology-supported solutions to legal-service needs.
“The law, the legal services industry and legal education are all undergoing unprecedented transformations,” said J.B. Ruhl, David Daniels Allen Distinguished Chair of Law and director of the new program. “The Program on Law and Innovation is designed to equip Vanderbilt Law students to become successful innovators throughout their careers.”