From coding questions to resources to help you develop new skills, it is hard to know where to start to become a technology lawyer.

As clients and businesses require technology savvy legal counsels, how can you equip yourself with the right skills?

Ilona Salo closed her episode with some excellent suggestions summarised below.

1. Coding

Don’t worry, we are not saying you need to code. It really depends on where your interest lies.

Overall, there is debate around whether coding is needed. It definitely will be useful in helping you interact with developers, coders and Product teams. Learning their language can help with how you collaborate together and think on the same brain wave.

Some topics however do need more knowledge than others. For example in Artificial Intelligence Law, there are a lot of nuances that relate to the coding technicalities which would require coding basics.

Need inspiration? Try looking into Code Academy, Udemy or a specific site aimed at younger students, full time workers or women. There are several out there.

2. Courses

Courses can give you a great foundation. If your local university does not offer them do not worry as there are online courses too. Some of them include Artificial Intelligence and Ethics. It is worth taking a look on Udemy, Coursera and Class Central to get started.

3. Books

Firstly, academic journals are helpful in going deeper into a certain topics and are also cost effective.

Some books Ilona suggested included Toby Ord’s The Precipice: ‘A book that seems made for the present moment’. This book talks about risks to humanity and whether AI poses a risk to our existence.

The Precipice: ‘A book that seems made for the present moment’ New Yorker by [Toby Ord]

She also suggested Caroline Criado Perez’s Invisible Woman, which discusses how gender bias is built into algorithms in technology, backed up by data.

4. Conferences

It is worth researching conferences in your area, as there are even conferences on how AI will shape our future.

Remember that not only are conferences good for the talks you can watch or take part in, but they are great for networking.

Even though conferences may seem expensive, some of them offer student discounts or are even free. One avenue worth considering is volunteering at a conference; in addition to gaining experience in helping run the show, you may get a rare moment with an influential figure.

5. Mooting

If you are still studying Law, then taking part in a moot competition may be beneficial for you.

In mooting competitions, a legal topic is presented from both sides. In addition to building confidence, mooting allows you to gain a deeper knowledge into the industry and the topic, through the mooter preparing to reply to questions from the judges.

The Helsinki Information Moot Court or the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition are great examples.

6. Subscribing to news updates

Several websites provide updates on the latest Technology Law news. Ilona recommended this newsletter in keeping you up to date in news about AI and Technology Law. They also have a specific section for students.

Currently working in Data Protection Law at Tesla, you can listen to the rest of the episode with Ilona here:

The Wired Wig explains helps to plug in Digital and Technology Law into businesses. It explains technology concepts and informs business leaders how the Law could respond to innovation.

The podcast is available on Spotify, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts and other podcast providers found on Anchor.