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The Benefits of Combining an Engineering Degree with a JD

Hestia Sartika

Summary

  • Technology is expanding our lives in ways that necessitate legal adaptation.
  • Policymakers who are out of touch with the technical realities of these fields often lack the foresight needed to address emerging issues effectively.
  • If legislative and regulatory frameworks lag by years or even decades, our civic infrastructure risks stagnation in the face of technological transformation.
  • A JD and an engineering degree open doors to various career opportunities in multiple sectors, such as environmental law and engineering compliance, data privacy and cybersecurity, energy law and policy, healthcare technology compliance, construction and infrastructure, forensic engineering, space and aerospace law, and artificial intelligence and robotics policy.
The Benefits of Combining an Engineering Degree with a JD
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There’s a saying that circulates among those familiar with technology in the legal field: “Technology in law is always 10 years behind.” In practice, this lag isn’t just an inconvenience; it can result in poorly informed policies and inadequate protections. The impact of this delay can be seen in areas as varied as internet privacy, the regulation of social media, and the infrastructure for electric vehicles. Policymakers, out of touch with the technical realities of these fields, often lack the foresight needed to address emerging issues effectively.

As a professional navigating both engineering and law, I’ve come to understand the critical need for dual expertise, especially as society grapples with emerging technologies, regulatory complexities, and a startling lack of technical representation within the legislative halls, shaping the regulations and policies that impact innovation and public safety. Technology is expanding our lives in ways that necessitate legal adaptation. Yet, without engineers adequately represented in legislative bodies, we risk forming laws that fall far behind technological advancements or fail to address them entirely.

A Gap in Technical Representation

In 2020, The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers underscored a concerning gap in technical expertise among policymakers. With only 11 engineers among the 535 voting members and six non-voting delegates, the vast majority of policy decisions related to technology, infrastructure, and public safety were made by those without a technical background.

This lack of engineering insight in Congress can lead to frustrating, sometimes even humorous, interactions between lawmakers and tech executives, as demonstrated in high-profile hearings with leaders like Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg and TikTok’s Shou Zi Chew. Often detached from technical reality, lawmakers' questions reveal a critical disconnect. In one exchange, Senator Shelley Moore Capito asked Zuckerberg to “bring some fiber“ to address rural connectivity gaps in West Virginia. Similarly, during the 2023 testimony of TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew, Representative Richard Hudson asked if TikTok could access users’ home Wi-Fi, reflecting a lack of understanding of basic networking. Such exchanges expose a gap in tech literacy at the highest levels of policy, leaving us to ask: who should be filling this gap, and how much technical experience is enough to make meaningful contributions? While many of these moments draw public amusement, the underlying issue is that our civic infrastructure risks stagnation in the face of technological transformation if legislative and regulatory frameworks lag behind by years or even decades.

Take electric vehicles (EVs) as a case in point. While EVs represent a major environmental advancement, the legal and infrastructural challenges remain immense as policymakers aggressively encourage automakers to increase EV production. For many Americans, especially those in rural or low-income areas, EVs remain impractical due to a lack of charging infrastructure. Imagine being stranded with no available charging station in sight or realizing that your apartment doesn’t allow EV charging. Additionally, the grid infrastructure in many areas is ill-prepared to support a mass shift to EVs, necessitating expensive and complex restructuring that local governments may not be ready for. This reality starkly contrasts the optimistic rhetoric surrounding EVs and highlights a gap in understanding the logistical and infrastructural challenges.

Why Law Needs Engineering and Engineering Needs Law

One of the most compelling frameworks for this dual expertise is the “Engineering for Human Rights” concept discussed by Chacon-Hurtado et al. This paradigm introduces core human rights principles, such as distributive justice and broad participation, into engineering practice. Engineers designing EV infrastructure, for example, must consider accessibility and affordability, ensuring it’s not a luxury but a right accessible to all. This approach is particularly impactful in environmental sustainability, data privacy, and public health, where technology intersects with fundamental human rights.

In his article “Law and Engineering: In Search of the Law-Science Problem,” Jerry L. Mashaw underscores how the law and engineering disciplines address problems with distinct perspectives. While law often prioritizes normative frameworks and procedural certainty, engineering focuses on practical solutions and empirical outcomes. The law can feel stymied by uncertainty, seeking “objective” standards that engineering approaches find elusive or unnecessary. Engineers, who often work with provisional answers to move a design forward, may find the legal system’s insistence on comprehensive certainty to be an obstacle.

Mashaw argues that agencies like the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which employ engineers heavily in regulatory roles, highlight this interplay. While engineers in these agencies are adept at crafting “good enough” solutions for safety and functionality, legal requirements often demand more exhaustive justifications, aiming for resolutions that meet procedural rigor. This misalignment can delay safety regulations, sometimes at the cost of public welfare. The call for engineers in Congress reflects this need for pragmatism in governance, where engineering insight can inform lawmaking, focusing on achievable safety and ethical standards in technology regulation.

Beyond Patent Law: Diverse Career Paths for Engineer-Lawyers

It’s common for people to associate dual expertise in engineering and law with careers in patent law or intellectual property, but that’s just one path among many. A JD and an engineering degree open doors to various career opportunities, as dual expertise is valuable in multiple sectors beyond patent law. Here are some examples of alternative career paths where this unique skill set is in demand:

  • Environmental Law and Engineering Compliance: Managing and regulating environmental impacts in oil, gas, and renewable energy industries.
  • Data Privacy and Cybersecurity Law: Developing and interpreting regulations surrounding data protection, cybersecurity, and compliance.
  • Energy Law and Policy: Working with utilities and regulatory bodies to shape policy and legal frameworks for energy distribution, particularly renewable energy integration.
  • Healthcare Technology Compliance: Overseeing regulatory compliance for medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and biotech innovation.
  • Construction and Infrastructure Law: Advising on structural engineering standards, safety regulations, and contracts for large-scale projects.
  • Forensic Engineer: Using engineering principles to investigate failures, accidents, or product malfunctions and often testifying as an expert witness in legal cases.
  • Space and Aerospace Law: Navigating the legal landscapes of emerging fields like commercial space travel and satellite technology.
  • Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Policy: Developing ethical and regulatory frameworks for autonomous technologies, especially in public and industrial applications.

The Civic Responsibility of Engineer-Lawyers

In a world where technology impacts everything from our transportation systems to personal privacy, we must have experts who understand the intricacies of engineering and the nuances of legal systems. This isn’t just a job for a select few; it’s a civic duty for those with the ability and ambition to bridge these fields.

As someone navigating this dual journey, I’m inspired by the potential of this intersection to create lasting, meaningful change. The challenges are many, but so are the rewards. Without this bridge, we risk a future where technology advances, but our society cannot keep up, leading to ethical blind spots and gaps in protection. Through a dual lens of law and engineering, we can build a future where progress is both responsibly managed and accessible to all.

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