The increasing importance of technology in the practice and content of law can hardly be overstated. The practice of law is now fused with technology; law firms are digitizing at a rate that can only increase. At the same time, the content of the law is having to adapt: courts are being asked whether an app can provide “legal advice”, whether intangibles like cryptocurrencies are property, and whether a transaction wholly concluded by algorithms can be avoided on the basis of mistake. How do you stay relevant if you haven’t kept abreast of issues emerging now and in the near future?
This primer by experts in their respective fields offers students and practitioners an overview of the relevant technologies, a survey of their impact on the content of law today, and a window into future issues that may arise – as well as some of the potential solutions. The text is meant to be accessible to students and practitioners, as well as to interested laypersons. The authors have strived to be clear and avoid unnecessary jargon – simple, but not simplistic.