General Course Information
1.1 Course details
| Course code: | LLAW6285 / JDOC6285 |
| Course name: | Legal Data and Science [previously named: Computer Programming, Data Mining, and the Law An Applied Introduction] |
| Programme offered under: | LLM Programme / JD Programme |
| Semester: | First |
| Prerequisites / Co-requisites: | No |
| Credit point value: | 9 credit / 6 credits |
1.2 Course description
This course offers a hands-on introduction to legal data science and aims to improve students’ understanding of:
1) legal issues that involve technology;
2) the technologies that underlie many legal–tech products; and
3) how technology can be used in empirical legal research.
This class also provides practice in the logical reasoning skills important to many areas of legal practice and improves students’ abilities to communicate with clients in high-tech industries.
No computer programming experience is required. Class operates in a “flipped” manner with weekly homework and readings, and intensive classroom activities that are designed to help students overcome obstacles.
1.3 Course teachers
| Name | E-mail address | Office | Consultation | |
| Course convenor | Ryan Whalen | whalen@hku.hk | CCT 815 | By email |
Learning Outcomes
2.1 Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) for this course
CLO 1 Understand the principles of legal data analysis
CLO 2 Achieve a critical appreciation for computational methods and computational thinking
CLO 3 Gain experience collecting, manipulating, and analyzing legal data
CLO 4 Better appreciate the relationship between law and technology
CLO 5 Be able to discuss technology in a clearer and more-informed manner
2.2 LLM and JD Programme Learning Outcomes (PLOs)
Please refer to the following link:
LLM – https://course.law.hku.hk/llm-plo/
JD – https://course.law.hku.hk/jd-plo/
2.3 Programme Learning Outcomes to be achieved in this course
| PLO A | PLO B | PLO C | PLO D | PLO E | PLO F | |
| CLO 1 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| CLO 2 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| CLO 3 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| CLO 4 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| CLO 5 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Assessment(s)
3.1 Assessment Summary
| Assessment task | Due date | Weighting | Feedback method* | Course learning outcomes |
| Participation | N/A | 10% | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 | |
| Weekly homework assignments | TBC | 20% | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 | |
| One quiz | Class 11 | 10% | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 | |
| Final project | 10 May 2023 | 60% | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 |
| *Feedback method (to be determined by course teacher) | |
| 1 | A general course report to be disseminated through Moodle |
| 2 | Individual feedback to be disseminated by email / through Moodle |
| 3 | Individual review meeting upon appointment |
| 4 | Group review meeting |
| 5 | In-class verbal feedback |
3.2 Assessment Detail
To be advised by course convenor(s).
3.3 Grading Criteria
Please refer to the following link: https://www.law.hku.hk/_files/law_programme_grade_descriptors.pdf
Learning Activities
4.1 Learning Activity Plan
| Seminar: | 3 hours / week for 12 teaching weeks |
| Private study time: | 9.5 hours / week for 12 teaching weeks |
Remarks: the normative student study load per credit unit is 25 ± 5 hours (ie. 150 ± 30 hours for a 6-credit course), which includes all learning activities and experiences within and outside of classroom, and any assessment task and examinations and associated preparations.
4.2 Details of Learning Activities
To be advised by course convenor(s).
Learning Resources
5.1 Resources
| Reading materials: | Reading materials are posted on Moodle |
| Core reading list: | Python for Everybody: Exploring Data in Python 3 by Charles R. Severance |
| Recommended reading list: | TBA |
5.2 Links
Please refer to the following link: http://www.law.hku.hk/course/learning-resources/