Program Overview

Unit of Study LAW00125 - Information Technology and the Law

Unit Snapshot

• Unit type: UG Coursework Unit
• Credit points: 12
• AQF level: 7
• Level of learning: Advanced
• Former School/College: Former School of Law and Justice
• Pre-requisites:
  • LAW00130 Introduction to Law and Contract
  • OR LAW10157 - Australian Legal System
  • OR LAW00111 - Legal Process
  • OR LAW00150 - Introduction to Business Law

Unit Description

Explores the regulatory system which aims to protect rights and resolve disputes that the legal system is being forced to consider and to respond to the problems thrown up by the use and abuse of computer technology. Discusses the present responses in order to give accurate advice to the computer industry and its users and of the uses to which information technology as management systems can be put in our courts, legal offices, and legal information retrieval systems.

Unit Content

• Topic 1: Information society and the governance of cyberspace
• Topic 2: Information technology and the internet in legal practice
• Topic 3: Jurisdiction and dispute settlement
• Topic 4: Digital copyright via case study: The digital distribution of music and film
• Topic 5: Other intellectual property rights: Trademarks and domain names, patents and internet business methods
• Topic 6: Technology contracts
• Topic 7: Electronic transactions
• Topic 8: Regulation of other internet content
• Topic 9: Privacy
• Topic 10: Computer crime

Availabilities

Not currently available in 2017

Learning Outcomes and Graduate Attributes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes.

On Completion of This Unit, Students Should Be Able To:

1. Understanding of approaches to ethical decision-making and an ability to recognise, reflect upon, and respond to ethical issues likely to arise in professional contexts
   • GA3: Ethical practice
2. An ability to recognise and reflect upon the professional responsibilities of lawyers in promoting justice and in service to the community
   • GA3: Ethical practice
3. Understanding of a broad and coherent body of knowledge that includes the fundamental areas of law, the Australian legal system, and underlying principles and concepts, and the broader contexts within which legal issues arise
   • GA4: Knowledge of a discipline
4. Understanding of the international and comparative contexts in which legal issues arise
   • GA4: Knowledge of a discipline
5. Ability to learn and work independently
   • GA5: Lifelong learning
6. Capacity to reflect on and assess their own capabilities and performance, and seek and make use of feedback as appropriate, to determine personal and professional development needs and achievements
   • GA5: Lifelong learning
7. Capacity to access, manage, and evaluate sources of information relevant to legal research and practice
   • GA5: Lifelong learning

Graduate Attributes

• GA1: Intellectual rigour - A commitment to excellence in all scholarly and intellectual activities, including critical judgement.
• GA2: Creativity - An ability to develop creative and effective responses to intellectual, professional and social challenges.
• GA3: Ethical practice - A commitment to sustainability and high ethical standards in social and professional practices.
• GA4: Knowledge of a discipline - Command of a discipline to enable a smooth transition and contribution to professional and community settings.
• GA5: Lifelong learning - The ability to be responsive to change, to be inquiring and reflective in practice, through information literacy and autonomous, self-managed learning.
• GA6: Communication and social skills - The ability to communicate and collaborate with individuals, and within teams, in professional and community settings.
• GA7: Cultural competence - An ability to engage with diverse cultural and Indigenous perspectives in both global and local settings.