In today’s world, developing projects in the IT sector will be very difficult without professional legal assistance, from the conceptual thinking of a product or service, through its incubation, to the commercialization and development process. – it says R. Piotr Mentlewicz, Head of Postgraduate Studies “IT Law” in Polish-Japanese Academy of Information Technology.
Concerns about the impact of AI on the economy, regardless of whether they prove to be true, will not prevent its development. This situation requires a change in approach and requires the acquisition of new skills, including legal ones. A side effect of this phenomenon is the creation of new roles in IT teams.
With the development of technology, there is a growing demand for specialists who can combine legal knowledge with IT issues, understand the industry, use specific terminology and operate in a specific economic environment. “IT Law” Studies at PJATK enable the acquisition of unique skills necessary for a modern lawyer to function in this world – it says Piotr Mentlewicz
At Orange Polska, we have recently been basing many innovations on AI. We have noticed that what is technically appealing to customers and obvious to developers often presents new formal and legal challenges. In connection with the legitimate and necessary regulations that protect the rights of users of AI technology, for example, the processing of users’ voices and images becomes difficult. Innovations based on such data require specialized legal knowledge to identify threats early in the project and constructively support designed solutions that help develop innovation and competitiveness of companies. We are convinced that in the era of Industry 5.0, innovative teams should include a lawyer with practical knowledge of IT issues. This significantly increases the chances of implementing projects in accordance with the law and on schedule – comments Andrzej Zieliński, R&D specialist at Orange Innovation.
In 2023, the development of generative AI tools accelerated. EU regulations on digital services include a system of multi-layered obligations for online intermediaries and set requirements for large platforms, and similar restrictions apply to the use and development of AI. The abundance of legislation combined with the desire to benefit from the fruits of digitalisation means that entrepreneurs must consider the increased risks to their business models, including those related to law enforcement.
Using, especially so-called generative AI, brings benefits, but it is also a source of threats, ranging from those related to copyright, through the security of personal and financial data, constituting a trade secret, to ethical challenges. These areas require support that can be provided by a lawyer who understands and anticipates the risks. Prevention in this case is much cheaper and less time-consuming. – he explains lawyer Piotr Mentlewicz
In recent years, diversity and inclusion have become increasingly important in business. In the US, diversity and inclusion policies are a requirement without which it is difficult to operate in the market. The need to create mixed teams concerns: gender, age, nationality, origin, experience and skills. These trends are also already visible in Poland.
Among IT team members, we typically see programmers, testers, administrators, managers, analysts, Data Science/IS, IT architects, UX and UI designers, but rarely lawyers. This is a mistake. For years, I have seen the need to bridge the educational gap at the intersection of broadly understood computer science and law. Numerous conversations and comments from the IT community have led to the creation of studies based on practical knowledge provided by recognized experts who deal with IT law on a daily basis.– he explains Piotr Mentlewicz
According to a KPMG study from July 2023. Artificial intelligence in companies in Poland: potential to be explored15% of organizations in Poland have used IS, another 13% stated that they would implement it by the end of 2023. By the end of 2023, according to EY Research How Polish companies implement AI20% of organizations had completed their implementation, but up to 42% were still in the process. As the AI implementation trend has such a growing dynamic, it requires knowledge to be supplemented continuously, and not with the delay typical of traditional training programs. This requires the creation of new forms of legal education.
Postgraduate studies “IT Law” was created for people who want to deepen their knowledge of the legal regulations of the digital world. PJATK lecturers are professionals with experience in providing legal services to leading entities in the IT sector. They are familiar with the latest trends in the sector and changes in legislation that directly affect the development of technology and companies. Our lecturers include lawyers from leading law firms, including international ones, experts with experience working for global entities, with skills that combine law, IT and other skills. The classes will have a practical dimension, where theory will be combined with the analysis of real cases – justifies lawyer Piotr Mentlewicz
Polish programmers are appreciated all over the world. We are not only well educated formally and technically, but also efficient and very creative. The ability and capacity to go beyond the learned standards makes Poles exceptionally predisposed in this field.
Polish lawyers have or may have the same characteristics that allow Polish IT specialists to achieve success. The “IT Law” studies are intended to enable our graduates to acquire knowledge in the field of new technology law and, to some extent, IT. Therefore, it is a great option for all lawyers, especially those working in the IT industry, managers and people cooperating with technology providers. There will be law or IT graduates who want to expand their skills and gain a comprehensive understanding of law in the context of technology, as well as people interested in working in IT companies, regulatory agencies, law firms and public institutions. A diploma of completion of these studies will be an important advantage in the job market – says its creator lawyer Piotr Mentlewicz
The current educational model has fewer and fewer recipients each year. Successive age groups entering higher education decide to take up full-time employment, run their own businesses or opt for shorter forms of education. They often complete their studies at bachelor’s level. The widespread availability of new technologies forces changes in the field of education, but also enables and accelerates the adaptation of the aforementioned scope. One of the responses to this trend is the development of so-called micro-credentials. The European Commission presents micro-credentials as a response to changes in the labour market, which require employees to acquire new skills or retrain constantly and quickly.
The modern world, where technologies have a significant impact on many aspects of life, requires specialists who understand its complexity and dynamics. In the IT world, legal advice has a direct impact on the functioning of companies. Therefore, it is necessary to reflect on the training model, including the training of lawyers. The study offer is a response to the dynamic changes in the legal environment of the IT industry. “IT Law”. The program of these studies is continually updated. If there are significant changes in this area, these will be taken into account and graduates will also have access to them – it says Piotr Mentlewicz
Technological changes are also affecting the legal sector. The concept of Legal Technology has been known for many years, but, among others, thanks to AI, many tools have been created that are increasingly used by lawyers.
In the “IT Law” curriculum, we have included a section dedicated to the practical use of LegalTech tools. During the classes, students will learn about the latest technologies related to the work of a lawyer and how to use them optimally to speed up processes, increase efficiency and minimize errors. These classes allow efficient adaptation to a rapidly changing environment. LegalTech is an important field of the future of law – explains the lawyer. Piotr Mentlewicz
Technological changes in the IT industry are reflected in many areas of life and determine their quality. They influence legal and IT education and change the way of working for both IT specialists and lawyers. Bringing the two professions closer together, or rather combining legal and IT skills or vice versa, is not only necessary, but simply inevitable.
Let us hope that institutions and people influencing the development of education in Poland will realize the need to create new educational forms and programs, including those related to the development of skills at the intersection of law and IT.
