IPLAC Patent Agent Committee member, and founder of the American Society of Legal Engineers (“ASLE”), Eric DeChant, explored the burgeoning field of Legal Engineering at an IPLAC event co-hosted by the Northwestern Pritzker School of Law Master of Science in Law (MSL) program. An application of scientific methods and technology to the practice of law, Legal Engineering requires a mix of skills and subject matter knowledge to accelerate legal service delivery.
In his presentation, Eric reviewed different practice areas of Legal Engineering, then explored a case study of Legal Engineers building an online tool to help small business owners navigate the application process for emergency government-funded loans during the COVID-19 lockdown of 2020. The event closed with an overview of the different learning and networking resources available to those interested in exploring careers in Legal Engineering.