Introduction to Technology

Overview

As technology becomes central to every aspect of legal practice and litigation, lawyers face growing pressure to understand the digital landscape in which their clients operate. This course introduces core concepts at the intersection of technology and law, from how hardware and software function to how digital evidence is collected, preserved, and authenticated. Participants will examine the evidentiary standards applied to social media and other digital sources, as well as the evolving ethics rules that govern a lawyer's duty of technological competence. The goal is to equip legal professionals with a practical, working vocabulary and conceptual framework for engaging confidently with technology-related matters in their practice.

What you’ll learn

• ✓Explain the foundational principles of computer hardware and software as they apply to legal contexts
• ✓Describe how digital forensics processes are used to gather and preserve electronic evidence
• ✓Identify the standards and challenges involved in authenticating social media and other digital evidence
• ✓Recognize the ethical obligations that apply when technology is used in legal practice
• ✓Evaluate digital evidence presented in a matter with greater analytical confidence
• ✓Communicate more effectively with technical experts, opposing counsel, and clients on technology-related issues

Curriculum

1. 1. Introduction to Computer Hardware, Software, and Programming

   CPUs, GPUs, and RAMs are used daily, but do we know what this alphabet soup means? Computing hardware has been an essential component of the process of calculation and data storage since it became useful for numerical values to be processed and shared. Software represents computer programs that tell computers what to do. In today’s digitized world, understanding the make-up and function of hardware and software will allow attorneys to better grasp and apply the laws around them. In part one (1) of this lesson, our expert panelists break down the fundamentals of computer hardware and programming where information is stored. They review how software is built and applied. They present a picture of the relationship between these critical aspects of computational use. The second part of this

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2. 2. Attorneys Guide to Digital Forensics

   This lesson covers what attorneys need to understand computer forensics and suggestions on how to best work with Digital Forensic Experts. As the name implies, forensic computer investigators and digital forensic experts reconstruct and analyze digital information to aid in investigations and solve computer-related crimes. These experts investigate incidents of hacking, trace sources of computer attacks, and recover lost or stolen data. The job of a forensic computer investigator or digital forensic expert often includes: Recovering data from damaged or erased hard drives Tracing hacks Gathering and maintaining evidence Writing and reviewing investigative reports Working with computers and other electronic equipment Working closely with other police officers and detectives Forensic

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3. 3. Facing Technology: Legal Ethics Developments

   Despite the constant need to keep up with evolving technology, the standards of ethical and professional behavior are not so evolving. This lesson covers the growing cyber-attacks on Law Firms, ethical rules that lawyers and law firms should be aware of regarding cybersecurity, a look at recent Bar Associations’ Ethical Opinions, and recent real-world examples of cyber-attacks against law firms. Although lawyers received adjustments to allow them to assist clients during financially difficult times, attorneys and judges faced criticisms for stepping outside of the four corners of the legal ethics guidelines. This lesson covers the most significant legal ethics developments of 2021 and 2022. However, every attorney must consult the laws and ethical opinions of the specific jurisdictions in