Unit Overview

Description

This intensive interdisciplinary and experiential unit examines the growing impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the future of the legal profession and legal service delivery. Students develop an understanding of how and when AI tools can be used in legal practice, and when they should not be used. Through team-based, hands-on learning, students engage with design thinking, business model canvas and agile methodology, and work with both generally available and proprietary AI legal tools to develop solutions to improve legal service delivery. The unit explores the ethical implications of rapidly developing AI technologies and their effects on legal practice business models. Students are given the opportunity to collaborate, to design and test AI-enabled solutions, and to critically reflect on the role of human judgement, teamwork, communication and critical thinking in AI-supported legal practice. The unit concludes with a final student presentation, with a digital artefact as the final deliverable and written individual reflections.

Credit
6 points
Offering
AvailabilityLocationModeFirst year of offer
Not available in 2026UWA (Perth)On-campus
Outcomes

Students are able to (1) use legal design thinking skills to create better user-centred products and services to benefit clients and society; (2) identify and address the pros and cons of using GenAI and other legaltech tools in legal practice, and how to avoid cognitive offloading; (3) work and collaborate in interdisciplinary teams of humans and AI agents on legal-focused project-based learning; and (4) use multi-modal communication skills amongst peers, authorities (courts, regulators) and clients.

Assessment

Indicative assessments in this unit are as follows: (1) class exercises & presentation (including individual reflection and peer review); (2) final team project deliverable; and (3) end of semester presentation. Further information is available in the unit outline.



This unit is assessed on an ungraded pass/ungraded failed basis. All assessment items must be successfully completed.

Supplementary assessment is not available in this unit.

Unit Coordinator(s)
Dr Renae Barker
Unit rules
Prerequisites
Successful completion of LAWS4101 Foundations of Law and Lawyering
and LAWS4102 Criminal Law
and LAWS4103 Contract
and LAWS4104 Property Law
and LAWS4106 Torts
and LAWS4108 Foundations of Public Law and
LAWS4109 Legal Theory and Ethics
or LAWS4110 Legal Interpretation
Approved quota: 30—places in this unit will be allocated on a waitlist basis. Final?year students will be offered places on a first?come, first?served basis. Remaining places will be allocated to penultimate?year students.
Contact hours
The unit will be taught intensively in July 2027 for 8 hours per day over 4 days (total 32 contact hours), in addition to preparation and assessment work
Note
LITE Lab@HKU is a legal innovation and technology initiative based at The University of Hong Kong (HKU). “LITE” stands for Law, Innovation, Technology and Entrepreneurship.

https://litelab.law.hku.hk/
  • The availability of units in Semester 1, 2, etc. was correct at the time of publication but may be subject to change.
  • All students are responsible for identifying when they need assistance to improve their academic learning, research, English language and numeracy skills; seeking out the services and resources available to help them; and applying what they learn. Students are encouraged to register for free online support through GETSmart; to help themselves to the extensive range of resources on UWA's STUDYSmarter website; and to participate in WRITESmart and (ma+hs)Smart drop-ins and workshops.
  • Visit the Essential Textbooks website to see if any textbooks are required for this Unit. The website is updated regularly so content may change. Students are recommended to purchase Essential Textbooks, but a limited number of copies of all Essential Textbooks are held in the Library in print, and as an ebook where possible. Recommended readings for the unit can be accessed in Unit Readings directly through the Learning Management System (LMS).
  • Contact hours provide an indication of the type and extent of in-class activities this unit may contain. The total amount of student work (including contact hours, assessment time, and self-study) will approximate 150 hours per 6 credit points.

Face to face

Predominantly face-to-face. On campus attendance required to complete this unit. May have accompanying resources online.

Online flexible

100% Online Unit. NO campus face-to-face attendance is required to complete this unit. All study requirements are online only. Unit is asynchronous delivery, with NO requirement for students to participate online at specific times.

Online timetabled

100% Online Unit. NO campus face-to-face attendance is required to complete this unit. All study requirements are online only. Unit includes some synchronous components, with a requirement for students to participate online at specific times.

Online Restricted

Not available for self-enrolment. Students access this mode by contacting their student office through AskUWA. 100% Online Unit.

NO campus face-to-face attendance. All study and assessment requirements are online only. Unit includes some timetabled activities, with a requirement for students to participate online at specific times. In exceptional cases (noted in the Handbook) students may be required to participate in face-to-face laboratory classes when a return to UWA’s Crawley campus becomes possible in order to be awarded a final grade.

External

No attendance or regular contact is required, and all study requirements are completed either via correspondence and/or online submission.

Off-campus

Regular attendance is not required, but student attends the institution face to face on an agreed schedule for purposes of supervision and/or instruction.

Multi-mode

Multiple modes of delivery. Unit includes a mix of online and on-campus study requirements. On campus attendance for some activities is required to complete this unit.