The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) has recognized the Legal Analytics Lab of Georgia State University’s Robinson College of Business and College of Law in its 2019 Innovations That Inspire Challenge.

The annual challenge recognizes institutions from around the world that are champions of change in business education. This year’s focus emphasized co-creation of knowledge. Innovations from 21 universities spanning 10 countries were honored.

Housed in Robinson’s Institute for Insight, the business school’s data analytics unit, the Legal Analytics Lab brings together the methodological expertise of its analytics faculty with the domain expertise of College of Law faculty. It uses text mining and machine learning to detect patterns, predict outcomes and derive insights related to compliance, regulatory, litigation and transactional risks faced by businesses.

The lab also partners with law firms, in-house legal departments and government agencies to solve data problems. Projects have included building tools to identify the characteristics of companies sued for securities fraud and forecasting the outcome of employment lawsuits.

Courses, degree concentrations and a joint law-analytics degree offered by the lab bring together students and faculty across the law-business disciplinary divide.

“It has been a natural progression for us to expand our innovative work in data analytics to the intersection of law and business,” said Richard D. Phillips, dean of the Robinson College. “Interdisciplinary collaboration is core to Georgia State’s DNA, and this collaboration between the colleges of business and law advances the theory and practice of both disciplines.”

“Business schools that engage across disciplines and with industry, inside and outside the traditional bounds of business and management, exemplify AACSB’s vision for the future of business education,” said Thomas R. Robinson, president and chief executive officer of AACSB. “We are honored to recognize as they lead by example—emphasizing their own areas of expertise and embracing collaborative approaches—all while addressing critical issues to drive social change.”