2021 IAP Computational Law Workshop Course
- Instructors - Dazza Greenwood, Bryan Wilson
- Teaching Assistants - Andrew Domzalski, Megan Ma, Tiemae Roquerre
This workshop course provides a conceptual overview and optional hands-on projects for understanding and solving legal use cases with data analytics, blockchain or other cryptosystems and a special module on rapid design solutions to key challenges posed by invited speakers. The course includes seminar-style lecture, class discussion, readings and other informational resources, and optional sessions hands-on, experiential learning through class projects. All class sessions and activities will be virtual and available through links provided to students shortly before the first class.
Welcome to New Students
Logistical Information
- Dates January 8, 15, 22, 29
- Time 12pm - 1pm Eastern
- Course Site https://mitmedialab.github.io/2021-MIT-IAP-Computational-Law-Course
- MIT Course Catalog Listing http://student.mit.edu/searchiap/iap-9289af8d5886ad4401588dd8e54f0108.html
- Code of Conduct: https://github.com/mitmedialab/2021-MIT-IAP-Computational-Law-Course/blob/main/code_of_conduct.md
Course Goal(s)
Provide an overview of Computational Law with readings and materials from the MIT Computational Law Report and selected deeper dives into special topics.
Course Live Sessions
Each week during the course, we will hear from a different subject-matter experts in computational law and practice. In the coming weeks, we will continue updating this page with more information about each speaker and materials from their lectures.
Please reserve an hour the week before each class to review class materials in advance of the class discussions that week. Class projects are optional and will include additional time outside of class. Class topics may change.
Computational Law and Data Supply Chains
Jan/08, Fri 12:00PM-01:00PM
Dazza Greenwood of MIT Media Lab and Professor David Restrepo Amariles of HEC Paris where he is director of research on Legal Metrics and SMART Law (Scientific Mathematical, Algorithmic, Risk and Technology-driven law) will discuss Opportunities for Using Computational Law to Audit Data Supply Chains.
Bryan Wilson, an MIT Fellow, will provide students with information about an optional opportunity to do a hands-on class project.
Computational Law and Standards
Jan/15, Fri, 12:00PM-01:00PM
Dazza Greenwood of MIT Media Lab and Kenneth Jones, Chief Technologist of Tanenbaum Keale LLP, will discuss key technical standards for legal data and interactions, from ANSI X12 EDIFACT to the SALI Alliance’s emerging Legal Matter Standard Specification (LMSS) and how these standards provide a foundation for innovative computational law systems.
Bryan Wilson, an MIT Fellow, will provide students with information about an optional opportunity to do a hands-on class project.
Computational Law and Property Ownership
Jan/22, Fri, 12:00PM-01:00PM
Dazza Greenwood of MIT and Chris Rothfuss, Wyoming State Senator, will discuss the emerging model legislation on personal and organizational digital identity and it’s implications for the economy, government and society.
Dazza Greenwood of MIT and Yuliya Panfil, senior fellow and director of New Americas Future of Property Rights program, will ask whether or how computational law could afford better methods and mechanisms for proving ownership of property in post-disaster and other emergency scenarios.
Bryan Wilson, an MIT Fellow, will provide students with information about an optional opportunity to do a hands-on class project.
Computational Law in the Context of Space
Jan/29, Fri, 12:00PM-01:00PM
Dazza Greenwood of MIT, Vivasvat Dadwal (Viva) attorney at King & Spalding and co-organizer of New York Legal Hackers, and Bruce Cahan of Stanford Law CodeX will discuss current and emerging trends in law and disputes involving space and the moon and ask whether or how computational law could meet the growing challenges.
Class-Related Readings: Computational Law in the Context of Space
Bryan Wilson, an MIT Fellow, will provide students with information about an optional opportunity to do a hands-on class project.
Optional Course Projects
Projects are completely optional. Class projects will be an experimental attempt to adapt the project format of MIT’s Media Ventures course. Students seeking to submit a class project will complete a list of assignments posted ahead of each class sesssion. Students can then coordinate with Bryan for a 1-on-1 sessions, as needed, to discuss projects during the IAP period. Participants will have the option to present a Computational Law project in the final class period. Projects may include one or more of the following:
- Abstract - write about an impactful aspect of Computational Law
- Roadmap - create a plan for how to develop a Computational Law Venture
- Prototype - build a proof-of-concept application
General Readings
A preliminary list of background materials is included below:
- A Perspective on Legal Algorithms - Professor Alex ‘Sandy’ Pentland
- MIT Computational Law Development Goals
- What Would an Integrated Development Environment for Law look Like? - Michael Jeffery
- Model Emerging Digital Identity Legislation - Senator Chris Rothfuss and Dazza Greenwood
- Deconstructing Legal Text: Object-Oriented Design in Legal Adjudication - Megan Ma, Dmitriy Podkopaev, Avalon Campbell-Cousins, and Adam Nicholas
- OpenEDGAR: Open Source Software for SEC Analysis - Michael J. Bommarito, Daniel Martin Katz, and Eric M. Detterman
- CodingTheLaw.org - David Colarusso
- How to Install Docassemble on Amazon Web Services - Sam Harden
Materials from Previous IAP Courses
| Title | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|
| The 2020 Computational Law Course | 1/7/2020 | Link to the homepage of the 2020 Course |
| Day 1: Jan 7, 1:30 - 3:30 PM Eastern Time | 1/7/2020 | Recording of Day 1 of the 2020 Course |
| Tax as a Computational Legal System | 1/7/2020 | Presentation by Brian Ulicny |
| Introduction to Computational Law | 1/7/2020 | Presentation by Dazza Greenwood and Bryan Wilson |
| Day 2: Jan 8, 1:30 - 3:30 PM Eastern Time | 1/8/2020 | Recording of Day 2 of the 2020 Course |
| Legal Algorithms | 1/8/2020 | Discussion with Professor Alex “Sandy” Pentland |
| Digital Economics and Computational Law | 1/8/2020 | Discussion with Navroop Sahdev |
| Day 3: Jan 9, 1:30 - 3:30 PM Eastern Time | 1/9/2020 | Recording of Day 3 of the 2020 Course |
| Prototyping Computational Legal Systems | 1/9/2020 | Scott Kelly discusses community.lawyer |
| Structuring Transactions as Legal Engineering | 1/9/2020 | Chris Berendt discusses his recent article |
| Structuring Transactions as Legal Engineering | 1/9/2020 | CFTC Rule for discussion |
| Day 4: Jan 24, 2:30 - 3:30 PM Eastern Time | 1/24/2020 | Recording of Day 4 of the 2020 Course |
| The 2019 Computational Law Course | 1/9/2019 | Link to the homepage of the 2019 Course |
| Introductions to the Students - 2019 Computational Law Workshop Course | 1/9/2019 | Introduction to the 2019 Course |
| Live Stream: Day 1 pt. 1 | 1/15/2019 | Recording of the first part of Day 1 of the 2019 Course |
| What is Computational Law? | 1/15/2019 | Presentation by Dazza Greenwood |
| Computational Law Overview and Docassemble | 1/15/2019 | Presentation by Bryan Wilson |
| Live Stream: Day 1 pt. 2 | 1/15/2019 | Recording of the second part of Day 1 of the 2019 Course |
| Rights Expression Languages | 1/15/2019 | Discussion with Bill Rosenblatt |
| Music Industry Value Chain | 1/15/2019 | Discussion with Vickie Nauman |
| Live Stream: Day 1 pt. 3 | 1/15/2019 | Recording of the third part of Day 1 of the 2019 Course |
| Computational Contracts | 1/15/2019 | Discussion with Chris Berendt |
| Security, Cryptography, and Protocols | 1/15/2019 | Discussion with Christian Smith |
| Day 2 In-Person Wrap-Up Session | 1/16/2019 | Recording of Day 2 of the 2019 Course |
| New Technologies for Copyright and Music Licensing | 1/16/2019 | Discussion with George Howard |
| Redbull Music System Solutions for Open Music Initiative Challenges | 1/16/2019 | Open Music Initiative Challenges |
| IBM Hyperledger Solutions for Open Music Initiative Challenges | 1/16/2019 | Open Music Initiative Challenges |
| Day 2 Opening Plenary Session Live Stream | 1/16/2019 | Recording of the Day 2 Opening Plenary Session |
| Interactive Overview of Legal Hackers | 1/16/2019 | Presentation by Jameson Dempsey |
| Integrating Interoperable Apps and Services with a Legal Platform pt. 1 | 1/16/2019 | Working Group with Juan Ramirez |
| Integrating Interoperable Apps and Services with a Legal Platform pt. 2 | 1/16/2019 | Working Group with Juan Ramirez |
| How Might a Computational Jurisdiction be Designed, Built, and Tested? | 1/16/2019 | Working Group with Bryan Wilson and Brian Ulicny |
| Day 2 Closing Plenary Session Live Stream | 1/16/2019 | Day 2 Closing Plenary Session Live Stream |
| Day 3 - Opening Plenary Live Stream | 1/17/2019 | Recording of Day 3 of the 2019 Course (Opening Plenary) |
| How Might the Bankruptcy Court Treat Blockchain Token Holders in Bankruptcy Case? | 1/17/2019 | Working Group with Beth McCarthy and Warren Agin |
| Integrating Interoperable Apps and Services with a Legal Platform | 1/17/2019 | Working Group with Juan Ramirez |
| Competing Legal Frameworks for Humanity in the Data Driven Age | 1/17/2019 | Working Group with Elizabeth Renieris |
| Smart Contracts for Music Licensing | 1/17/2019 | Working Group with Michelle Gitlitz |
| Day 3 - Closing Plenary Live Stream | 1/17/2019 | Recording of Day 3 of the 2019 Course (Closing Plenary) |
| The 2018 Computational Law Course | 1/16/2018 | Link to the homepage of the 2018 Course |
| 2018 Computational Law Course Slide Deck | 1/16/2018 | Topics and Speakers from the 2018 Course |
| Digital Asset Lifecycle Management | 1/16/2018 | Livestream of Day 1 of the 2018 Course |
| Multi-Party Contract Systems and Markets | 1/17/2018 | Livestream of Day 2 of the 2018 Course |
| Individual Identity and Personal Data | 1/18/2018 | Livestream of Day 3 of the 2018 Course |
| Computational Law Challenge | 11/5/2017 | MIT Legal Forum Day 2 |
| The 2017 Computational Law Course | 1/30/2017 | Link to the Github of the 2017 Course |
| Leaning into Computational Transactions | 1/30/2017 | Presentation by Larry Bridgesmith |
| Computational Law Lecture and Mock Trial | 1/26/2017 | Preparatory Activities for the 2017 Course |
| Legal Analytics Data Challenge | 1/26/2017 | Preparatory Activities for the 2017 Course |
| Overview of Thomson Reuters Labs | 1/26/2017 | Preparatory Activities for the 2017 Course |
| DataVR Workshops Project | 1/26/2017 | Preparatory Activities for the 2017 Course |
| DataVR Day Two Livestream (Opening) | 1/24/2017 | Preparatory Activities for the 2017 Course |
| DataVR Day Two Livestream (Closing) | 1/24/2017 | Preparatory Activities for the 2017 Course |
| Overview of Simmetri | 1/18/2017 | Preparatory Activities for the 2017 Course |
Materials and speakers are subject to change