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Location Domestic International
Online Session 3 N/A

Unit Summary

Unit type

UG Coursework Unit

Credit points

12

AQF level

7

Level of learning

Advanced

Former School/College

Former School of Law and Justice

Pre-requisites

LAW00130 Introduction to Law and Contract OR LAW10157 - Australian Legal System OR LAW00111 - Legal Process OR LAW00150 - Introduction to Business Law

Unit aim

Explores the regulatory system which aims to protect rights and resolve disputes that the legal system is being forced to consider and to respond to the problems thrown up by the use and abuse of computer technology. Discusses the present responses in order to give accurate advice to the computer industry and its users and of the uses to which information technology as management systems can be put in our courts, legal offices, and legal information retrieval systems.

Unit content

Topic 1 Information society and the governance of cyberspace
Topic 2 Information technology and the internet in legal practice
Topic 3 Jurisdiction and dispute settlement
Topic 4 Digital copyright via case study: The digital distribution of music and film
Topic 5 Other intellectual property rights: Trademarks and domain names, patents and internet business methods
Topic 6 Technology contracts
Topic 7 Electronic transactions
Topic 8 Regulation of other internet content
Topic 9 Privacy
Topic 10 Computer crime

Learning outcomes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

GA1: , GA2: , GA3: , GA4: , GA5: , GA6: , GA7:
On completion of this unit, students should be able to: GA1 GA2 GA3 GA4 GA5 GA6 GA7
1 understanding of approaches to ethical decision-making and an ability to recognise, reflect upon, and respond to ethical issues likely to arise in professional contexts
2 an ability to recognise and reflect upon the professional responsibilities of lawyers in promoting justice and in service to the community
3 understanding of a broad and coherent body of knowledge that includes the fundamental areas of law, the Australian legal system, and underlying principles and concepts, and the broader contexts within which legal issues arise
4 understanding of the international and comparative contexts in which legal issues arise
5 ability to learn and work independently
6 capacity to reflect on and assess their own capabilities and performance, and seek and make use of feedback as appropriate, to determine personal and professional development needs and achievements
7 capacity to access, manage, and evaluate sources of information relevant to legal research and practice.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

  1. understanding of approaches to ethical decision-making and an ability to recognise, reflect upon, and respond to ethical issues likely to arise in professional contexts
    • GA3:
  2. an ability to recognise and reflect upon the professional responsibilities of lawyers in promoting justice and in service to the community
    • GA3:
  3. understanding of a broad and coherent body of knowledge that includes the fundamental areas of law, the Australian legal system, and underlying principles and concepts, and the broader contexts within which legal issues arise
    • GA4:
  4. understanding of the international and comparative contexts in which legal issues arise
    • GA4:
  5. ability to learn and work independently
    • GA5:
  6. capacity to reflect on and assess their own capabilities and performance, and seek and make use of feedback as appropriate, to determine personal and professional development needs and achievements
    • GA5:
  7. capacity to access, manage, and evaluate sources of information relevant to legal research and practice.
    • GA5:

Prescribed texts

  • Fitzgerald, B & Fitzgerald, A, 2011, Internet and e-commerce law, business and policy, 1st edn, Thomson Reuters, Sydney. ISBN: 9780227962.
Prescribed texts may change in future teaching periods.