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Daily Archives: March 8, 2021

Teaching Technology to (Future) Lawyers

Barczentewicz, Mikolaj, Teaching Technology to (Future) Lawyers (February 23, 2021). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3791608 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3791608

“The paper offers a reflection on how applications of computer technology (including data analytics) are and may be taught to (future) lawyers and what are the benefits and limitations of the different approaches. There is a growing sense among legal professionals and law teachers that the technological changes in the practice of law are likely to promote the kind of knowledge and skills that law graduates often do not possess today. Teaching computer technology can be done in various ways and at various levels of depth and that those different ways and levels have different cost and benefit considerations. The paper discusses four models of teaching technology: (1) teaching basic technological literacy, (2) more advanced but general technology teaching, (3) teaching computer programming and quantitative methods and (4) teaching a particular aspect of technology – other than programming (e.g. cybersecurity). I suggest that there are strong reasons for all current and future lawyers to acquire proficiency in effective uses of office and legal research software and standard means of online communication and basic cybersecurity. This can be combined with teaching of numerical and informational literacy. I also claim that advanced technology topics, like computer programming, should only be taught to the extent this is justified by the direct need for such skills and knowledge in students’ future careers, which I predict to be true for only a minority of current lawyers and law students.”

The World’s 2021 Most Innovative Companies

Fast Company – “Business as usual is over. Companies around the globe, in every industry, have spent the past 12 months confronting challenges both practical and existential. Some have failed. Many have simply survived. A select few have flourished, remaking their businesses and illuminating the way forward for others. These are the businesses we’re celebrating… Continue Reading

How to make your laptop go faster for free

PC World – “If your old laptop needs a little more pep in its step, there’s an easy fix most people overlook: the performance settings. These settings reside in most laptops, usually via a preinstalled utility. The vast majority of laptop users never poke around in there—and you shouldn’t need to, if all you do… Continue Reading

New York is piloting a mobile COVID-19 vaccine passport

State Scoop: “New York State piloted a digital COVID-19 vaccine passport at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn last weekend where basketball fans were able, via a digital card on their phones, to provide proof they’ve received a COVID-19 vaccine…The “Excelsior Pass,” first announced by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo during his State of the State address… Continue Reading

A Roadmap for US Global Leadership

A Roadmap for US Global Leadership – Report on Reports – March 2021: “The COVID-19 pandemic has reminded Americans that the world is interconnected and what happens overseas can land on kitchen tables at home in a matter of hours. Upending an already turbulent political and global landscape, American’s health and economic security have been… Continue Reading

Good Slides Reduce Complexity

SEO MBA – Avoid slide-crimes with these 5 concepts for more effective presentations – I worked at Google for two years, and in that time I learned nothing about SEO – instead I spent two years putting presentations together. Turns out this is a rather useful skill. In the SEO industry there’s an abundance of… Continue Reading

How data trusts can protect privacy

MIT Technology Review – “…Data trusts are a relatively new concept, but their popularity has grown quickly. In 2017, the UK government first proposed them as a way to make larger data sets available for training artificial intelligence. A European Commission proposal in early 2020 floated data trusts as a way to make more data… Continue Reading

How to Write a Gratitude Letter

The New York Times – “Concerned about a friend or a loved one who may be feeling the winter doldrums? Try writing them a gratitude letter. If you are looking to make someone — even yourself — feel better during what has been a hard winter of the pandemic, consider writing a gratitude letter. You… Continue Reading

TurboVax Vaccine Finder for NYC

“TurboVax finds appointments from 53 city and state-run vaccine sites in the NYC area. Follow our Twitter (@turbovax) to be instantly notified when appointments open up. Refresh this page often. Appointments are published to this page in real-time. Availability for local clinics/pharmacies can be found at CDC’s VaccineFinder or NYC Vaccine List. If you found… Continue Reading

Women’s Firsts in FRASER

Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis – “FRASER has long celebrated the contributions of women in the economy and their participation in our nation’s economic growth. This past year, FRASER commemorated the Women’s Bureau Centennial, and in previous years topics have included the history of women’s economic rights, the early years of the Women’s Bureau, working women of the Women’s Bureau, and the women of the Federal Reserve.… Continue Reading