Integrating Law, Technology and Design: Teaching Data Protection & Privacy Law in a Digital Age

22 Pages Posted: 22 Jul 2021

See all articles by Marcelo Corrales Compagnucci

Marcelo Corrales Compagnucci

Centre for Advanced Studies in Biomedical Innovation Law (CeBIL), Faculty of Law, University of Copenhagen

Mark Fenwick

Kyushu University - Graduate School of Law

Helena Haapio

Lexpert Ltd; University of Lapland - Faculty of Law; University of Vaasa, School of Accounting and Finance, Business Law; Tampere University - Faculty of Information Technology and Communication Sciences; JARGONFREE Research Group

Erik P. M. Vermeulen

Tilburg University - Department of Business Law; Signify (formerly known as Philips Lighting) - Legal Department; Tilburg Law and Economics Center (TILEC); European Corporate Governance Institute (ECGI); Kyushu University - Graduate School of Law

Date Written: June 29, 2021

Abstract

In this paper, we identified five fundamental principles for developing data protection law courses in today’s digital age. The paper outlines the broader context of the transformation of legal education in a digital age; describes the importance of integrating legal-thinking and design-thinking with a deeper understanding of the underlying technologies and user-interfaces; and introduces the main features of a new approach to teaching data protection and privacy.

The main argument of the paper is to suggest that the data protection lawyer of the future will become a key intermediary of innovation – or a ‘transaction engineer’ – who helps facilitate and coordinate new forms of business and other social relationships; contributes to harnessing the benefits of disruptive technologies, automation and digital connectivity to build next generation legal services; and contributes to the development of a legally compliant and socially responsible technological infrastructure.

To perform this function effectively, however, data protection professionals need to develop a new mindset, along with several new skills and capacities, including a better understanding of the technological architecture of a post-digital transformation world, as well as the power and importance of legal design.

Crucially, this means re-visiting the law school curriculum and legal education, more generally. From a pedagogical perspective, we propose a task-oriented, “sandbox”, and “gamified” approach to data protection law that delivers a more meaningful student experience in which students are given the space to experiment via engagement with timely and practical problems.

Keywords: Legal education, data protection, legal design, e-learning, transaction engineers, design patterns, proactive legal thinking, gamification.

Suggested Citation

Corrales Compagnucci, Marcelo and Fenwick, Mark and Haapio, Helena and Vermeulen, Erik P.M., Integrating Law, Technology and Design: Teaching Data Protection & Privacy Law in a Digital Age (June 29, 2021). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3876281 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3876281

Marcelo Corrales Compagnucci (Contact Author)

Centre for Advanced Studies in Biomedical Innovation Law (CeBIL), Faculty of Law, University of Copenhagen ( email )

HOME PAGE: http://https://research.ku.dk/search/?pure=en%2Fpersons%2F662698

Mark Fenwick

Kyushu University - Graduate School of Law ( email )

744 Motooka, Nishi-ku,
Fukuoka, Fukuoka 819-0395
Japan

Helena Haapio

Lexpert Ltd ( email )

Ritarikatu 7 A 2
Helsinki, FI-00170
Finland

HOME PAGE: http://www.lexpert.com

University of Lapland - Faculty of Law ( email )

Yliopistonkatu 8
Rovaniemi, 96300
Finland

University of Vaasa, School of Accounting and Finance, Business Law ( email )

P.O. Box 700
Wolffintie 34
Vaasa, FI-65101
Finland

Tampere University - Faculty of Information Technology and Communication Sciences ( email )

Tampere
Finland

JARGONFREE Research Group ( email )

HOME PAGE: http://www.jargonfree.fi

Erik P.M. Vermeulen

Tilburg University - Department of Business Law ( email )

Signify (formerly known as Philips Lighting) - Legal Department ( email )

Amstelplein 2
Amsterdam
Netherlands

Tilburg Law and Economics Center (TILEC)

Warandelaan 2
Tilburg, 5000 LE
Netherlands

European Corporate Governance Institute (ECGI) ( email )

c/o the Royal Academies of Belgium
Rue Ducale 1 Hertogsstraat
1000 Brussels
Belgium

Kyushu University - Graduate School of Law ( email )

6-19-1, Hakozaki, Higashiku
Fukuoka, Fukuoka 812-8581
Japan

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
147
Abstract Views
792
Rank
358,685
PlumX Metrics