Digitalisation

Digital technologies are bringing about far-reaching changes in society, state institutions and, consequently, the law. Research at the Faculty of Law keeps pace with these developments, ranging from the regulation of artificial intelligence, through issues of data protection and the platform economy, to digital justice and public administration. Particular emphasis is placed on the interfaces between law and technology on the one hand, and law and economics on the other: the focus is on analysing how technological innovations can be legally structured whilst taking economic implications into account, and at the same time be responsibly governed by the law.

LL.B. in Digital Law

Through a wide-ranging curriculum covering digitalisation topics, the Faculty offers students the opportunity to prepare early on for the demands of an increasingly digital professional world. To keep pace with current developments, the Faculty also actively seeks to forge links with the professional world through joint seminars, field trips and guest lectures.

The Bachelor’s programme, which has been offered at our Faculty since the 2021/22 winter semester, is once again significantly broader in scope with its focus on ‘Digital Law’. These technological changes are accompanied by significant processes of social transformation, which raise a host of legal issues – in Germany, the European Union and, ultimately, worldwide. This raises, for example, fundamental questions regarding the legitimacy and legal basis of algorithm-based decisions, the oversight of such decisions, and a shift in the balance of power from the state towards private companies, coupled with the risk of discrimination on the grounds of origin, age and gender.

Target audience:
The LL.B. in Digital Law is aimed at students with an interest in both law and technology. It does not provide access to traditional legal careers; these generally require the Second State Examination. Those who have successfully completed both the LL.B. in Digital Law and the State Examination programme have excellent career prospects. Such a dual degree programme is possible. Prior knowledge of computer science is an advantage, butnot a prerequisite. The aim is not to turn students into computer scientists. The objective is to improve their ability to engage in dialogue when graduates later have to work together in an interdisciplinary manner and apply technical knowledge in legal processes.

Career prospects:
Graduates of the Digital Law programme can find employment in virtually all legal and business sectors. At first glance, this applies particularly to those areas where there is a need for improved software-based support for legal processes: in law firms, but also in companies, public authorities and associations. It is also conceivable that graduates might support start-ups developing or improving technical processes for the further digitalisation of the law (big data, artificial intelligence, interactive systems and visual computing, cryptographic infrastructures). Furthermore, employment opportunities exist in all areas where the ‘digital revolution’ poses complex challenges for legal resolution, whether in digital companies or in the public sector, for example in the relevant ministries. Those with the best career prospects are those who hold dual qualifications, having completed both the LLB Digital Law programme and the state examination programme.

Information on the LL.B. Digital Law programme

Specialisation programme

Even within the framework of the traditional State Examination programme, it is possible to specialise in digitalisation topics – particularly through the specialisation programme:

• SP7 – Law of the Information Society
• SP 9 – Intellectual Property, Competition and Digitalisation

Key Skills Modules

In addition, key skills modules with a specific focus on digitalisation topics are offered. Of particular note are:

• AI Skills for Law Students
• Literature, Databases and AI in Law Studies