Digital Law may not yet enjoy universal recognition as a distinct branch of law, but, according to Pedro Cerqueira Gomes, Nuno Sousa e Silva’s new book takes precisely that step. The launch of the book 'Lessons in Digital Law', which took place last Tuesday at the Catholic University of Porto, brought together academics, lawyers and students for a session marked by reflection on the legal challenges of our time. Joining the author were Professor Pedro Cerqueira Gomes and Fábio Castro Russo, a partner at Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados.

“I can’t find anyone else who combines both a broad-based and specialised background to discuss Digital Law,” said our lecturer in Administrative Law, highlighting the author’s unique profile. “This book was written by a specialist with a broad-based background, but is aimed at civil law specialists, administrative law specialists, constitutional law specialists – indeed, all legal professionals who, in their particular field of law, will need not only digital literacy, but also literacy in Digital Law.”

Throughout the presentation, Pedro Cerqueira Gomes argued that the work’s main strength lies in its ability to systematise a fragmented legal landscape. “The author has brought unity to a fragmented system of rules and created a genuine legal discipline,” he stated. In his view, “the very norm of Digital Law is a different kind of norm,” he noted, explaining that it increasingly relies on technical criteria, which forces legal professionals to rethink traditional categories. And it is largely for this reason that the work brings together topics such as Intellectual Property Rights, Artificial Intelligence, E-commerce and Contracts, Fundamental Rights in Cyberspace, Personal Data Protection and the Liability of Digital Platforms.

“Perhaps I am one of those generalist lawyers for whom this book is intended,” said Fábio Castro Russo. For the lawyer and former lecturer, the author manages, throughout the book, to strike a balance between a broad perspective and, at the same time, an in-depth substantive analysis. “You need to have some technological knowledge, and Nuno has it; this is evident in this book,” when he refers to terms such as object code, dark patterns, open source, addictive design, blockchain and quantum computing, accompanied by a “valuable list of bibliographical references”.

The lawyer also highlighted the book’s interdisciplinary nature, emphasising that digital law today requires a thorough understanding of virtually all major areas of law. “Anyone who reads this book will encounter civil law, commercial law, European Union law, public and private international law, competition law, procedural law, administrative law, criminal law, employment law, consumer law and fundamental rights. “Anyone who reads this book will gain a mini-degree.”

At the end of the session, the author, Nuno Sousa e Silva, stated that “the book is a human invention superior to the computer”, admitting, therefore, and in a challenging tone, that this may not be the final edition of the work.

Find out more about our lecturer’s work HERE.