LAW229

Transformative technologies have and will continue to reshape how and where we live, work, learn, and play. When an emerging technology enters the scene, typically no laws or regulations contemplate its existence. In some cases, the technology just doesn't fit into any existing regulatory framework. In other cases, policymakers and regulators attempt to shoehorn the new technology into laws already in place and designed for incumbent technologies. When new laws and regulations develop around the technology, we often analogize to familiar products or services until we gain enough experience to build a custom framework. In this course, we'll explore how to navigate and advise clients in the dynamic regulatory environments that develop around emerging technologies. We'll examine several legal topics, such as federal preemption, product liability, local government law, employee classification, and privacy. For each, we'll begin by understanding the pre-disruption legal landscape, then we'll study the impact of a particular emerging technology. In particular, we'll explore the present and future impacts of automated driving systems, 3D printing, transportation network platforms, commercial drones, and blockchain. With every topic, as we learn about the law and how it has evolved, we'll also challenge ourselves to think creatively about how regulatory landscapes should be built.