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Articles By Harrison Barnes From BCG Attorney Search
Artificial intelligence is changing the legal profession. Lawyers now use AI for research, document review, drafting, data analysis and other tasks. At the same time, the technology raises new questions about accuracy, confidentiality, ethics, privacy and professional responsibility.
Law schools are responding. Some are adding courses on AI and emerging technology. Others are building technology-focused programs. A smaller group is making AI training part of the required curriculum.
American University Washington College of Law and Case Western Reserve University School of Law stand out for different reasons. American University has built a broad technology, law and security program, while Case Western Reserve requires its law students to complete generative AI training during their first year.
For law students, applicants, recruiters and legal employers, these changes point to a larger shift. AI literacy is becoming an important part of preparing for modern legal practice.
Key Takeaways
AI is becoming an important part of legal education and practice.
Case Western Reserve requires law students to complete generative AI training during their first year.
Case Western Reserve’s program combines hands-on AI experience with ethics, regulation and data-management training.
American University offers extensive technology and AI-related legal education.
American University’s Technology Law curriculum includes AI regulation and other emerging technology courses.
Its online Master of Legal Studies program offers Technology and Cybersecurity specializations.
AI skills can complement rather than replace traditional legal skills.
Law students should consider AI training when comparing law schools and planning their careers.
Recruiters may increasingly value candidates who understand both legal fundamentals and responsible AI use.
Why AI Skills Matter for Future Lawyers
AI is no longer only a technology issue. It is becoming a legal practice issue.
Law firms can use generative AI to support research, review large amounts of information and streamline routine work. However, lawyers remain responsible for the work they deliver to clients and courts.
That means future lawyers need to understand both the benefits and limits of AI.
For example, an AI tool may produce a useful research starting point. It can also generate an inaccurate statement or unreliable legal citation. Therefore, lawyers must know how to verify AI-generated work before relying on it.
Confidentiality creates another concern. Lawyers must understand what information they can enter into an AI system and how vendors handle client data.
Ethics also matter. AI use can affect a lawyer’s duties involving competence, confidentiality, supervision and professional judgment.
As a result, law schools increasingly have a role in teaching students how to use AI responsibly rather than simply how to operate an AI tool.
American University Expands Technology Law
American University Washington College of Law has developed a broad focus on emerging technology and its legal implications.
Its Technology, Law & Security Program examines legal and policy questions created by emerging technologies. The program focuses on areas including AI, privacy, data governance, national security and technology’s effect on law enforcement.
The school also offers a technology-focused curriculum with courses addressing artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies.
Its current Technology Law curriculum includes courses such as Regulation of AI Technology, AI Regulation: Comparative Perspective, Privacy & Emerging Technologies, Cyber Law, Cybersecurity Law and Digital Copyright.
That range gives students exposure to several legal issues surrounding AI rather than treating artificial intelligence as a single subject.
Technology and Cybersecurity Specializations
American University also offers Technology and Cybersecurity specializations through its online Master of Legal Studies program.
The Technology specialization includes courses in Cyber Law, Information Privacy and Data Security Law, Electronically Stored Information, Cybersecurity Governance and Database and Big Data.
The Cybersecurity specialization focuses on cyber law, privacy, cybersecurity risk management and cybersecurity governance.
These programs can appeal to professionals who work with technology, compliance, cybersecurity or legal teams but do not necessarily plan to practice as attorneys.
The school’s Washington, D.C., location also provides access to a major center for federal policy and regulation.
Case Western Reserve Makes AI Training Required
Case Western Reserve University School of Law has taken a more direct approach.
In January 2025, the school announced that it would become the first U.S. law school to require all first-year law students to earn a legal AI certification. The program, called “Introduction to AI and the Law,” launched in February 2025 in partnership with Wickard.ai.
The program combines AI fundamentals with practical legal applications.
Students learn about AI and large language models. They also examine how legal professionals use AI for research, document review and other work.
Furthermore, the program addresses AI regulation, ethics, data management and client information.
Hands-On AI Training for Law Students
Case Western Reserve’s program goes beyond classroom discussion.
Students receive hands-on experience with AI-powered legal tools. They also study professional responsibilities that can arise when lawyers use those tools.
The curriculum addresses issues such as competence, confidentiality, supervision and the need to stay informed about emerging technology. It also examines topics including intellectual property, liability and access to justice.
By November 2025, Case Western Reserve reported that every law student was required to complete comprehensive generative AI training during the first year.
The school has therefore moved AI education from an optional topic into the foundation of its legal education.
American University vs. Case Western Reserve
The two schools illustrate different approaches to AI and legal education.
Law school
Approach to AI and technology
What stands out
American University Washington College of Law
Broad technology, law and security curriculum
AI regulation, privacy, cybersecurity and emerging technology courses
Case Western Reserve University School of Law
Required legal AI training
First-year students complete comprehensive generative AI training
American University offers a broader technology-law ecosystem. Its programs cover AI alongside privacy, cybersecurity, national security and other emerging technologies.
Case Western Reserve takes a more concentrated approach. Its required first-year AI program gives students direct exposure to AI tools and the legal issues surrounding their use.
Neither approach is necessarily better for every student. Instead, the right choice depends on a student’s career goals.
What AI Training Should Teach Future Lawyers
A strong legal AI program should go beyond teaching students how to write prompts.
Students need to understand the technology and its legal consequences.
1. AI Fundamentals
Lawyers should understand basic concepts behind artificial intelligence and large language models.
They do not need to become software engineers. However, they should know enough to understand how AI systems generate answers and why those answers can contain errors.
2. Legal Research and Document Review
AI can support legal research and document-heavy work.
Therefore, students should learn how to use these tools while checking their output against reliable legal sources.
3. Ethics and Professional Responsibility
AI does not remove a lawyer’s professional duties.
Students should learn how AI affects confidentiality, competence, supervision and client communication.
Case Western Reserve specifically includes these issues in its AI curriculum.
4. Privacy and Data Security
Lawyers often handle sensitive client information.
Consequently, AI education should cover data security, privacy and the risks of entering confidential information into technology platforms.
5. AI Regulation
The legal rules surrounding AI continue to develop.
Law students therefore need to understand how lawmakers, regulators and courts are addressing artificial intelligence.
American University’s technology law curriculum includes dedicated courses on AI regulation.
How AI Skills Could Affect Legal Careers
AI knowledge could become increasingly useful across the legal market.
Law firms are exploring technology that can automate or accelerate certain tasks. Meanwhile, clients increasingly expect lawyers to understand the technology affecting their businesses.
That does not mean AI skills will replace traditional legal abilities.
Strong legal writing, research, negotiation, analysis and judgment remain essential. In fact, those skills may become even more important when lawyers must evaluate AI-generated work.
The strongest candidates may combine traditional legal skills with technology awareness.
What Recruiters Should Watch
Recruiters may increasingly look for evidence that candidates can use AI responsibly.
A law student’s AI experience could include:
Legal AI certification
AI-related coursework
Technology law classes
Legal technology clinics
AI research
Privacy or cybersecurity training
Practical experience with legal AI platforms
However, employers should not evaluate candidates solely on their ability to use a particular AI tool.
Technology changes quickly. A tool that is widely used today may be replaced tomorrow.
Instead, employers can look for candidates who understand how to evaluate technology, identify risks and apply sound professional judgment.
What to Look for in an AI Law School
Students comparing law schools should ask more than whether a school offers an AI course.
They should examine the depth of the program.
Is AI training required?
Required training may give students a more consistent foundation. Optional courses can still provide valuable specialization.
Does the school offer hands-on experience?
Practical experience can help students understand how AI tools work in real legal settings.
Does the curriculum cover ethics?
A strong program should address confidentiality, accuracy, professional responsibility and other risks.
Does the school teach AI regulation?
Students interested in technology law should look for courses that address emerging AI rules and regulatory approaches.
Does the school connect AI with other practice areas?
AI affects more than technology law. It can raise issues in intellectual property, privacy, litigation, employment, corporate law, cybersecurity and criminal law.
A broad curriculum can therefore provide greater career flexibility.
The Bigger Shift in Legal Education
The rise of AI is forcing law schools to rethink what it means to prepare students for practice.
For decades, legal education focused heavily on legal research, writing, doctrine and analytical skills. Those fundamentals remain important.
However, the tools lawyers use are changing.
American University and Case Western Reserve show two ways schools can respond. American University has developed a broad technology and security ecosystem that includes AI regulation and emerging technology courses.
Case Western Reserve has integrated required generative AI education into the first-year law school experience.
Together, these programs show that AI education is moving closer to the center of legal training.
AI Will Not Replace Legal Judgment
The goal of legal AI education is not simply to produce lawyers who know how to use new software.
The larger goal is to prepare lawyers who can make good decisions when technology becomes part of their work.
AI can process information quickly. Yet lawyers must still decide what information matters.
AI can generate a draft. However, a lawyer must determine whether the draft is accurate and appropriate.
AI can identify potential issues. Nevertheless, a lawyer remains responsible for professional judgment and client advice.
That distinction will matter as AI becomes more common in law firms and legal departments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which law schools are leading in AI education?
There is no single official ranking of the best law schools for AI education. However, Case Western Reserve University School of Law and American University Washington College of Law stand out for their documented technology and AI initiatives.
Case Western Reserve requires law students to complete generative AI training during their first year. American University offers a broad technology law curriculum and operates its Technology, Law & Security Program.
Students should therefore compare programs based on curriculum depth, practical training and career goals rather than relying on a simple ranking.
Does Case Western Reserve require AI training for law students?
Yes.
Case Western Reserve announced in 2025 that all first-year law students would be required to earn a legal AI certification. The program, “Introduction to AI and the Law,” provides training in AI fundamentals, legal applications, ethics, regulation and data management.
By November 2025, the school reported that every law student was required to complete comprehensive generative AI training during the first year.
That requirement makes CWRU one of the clearest examples of a law school integrating AI education into its core curriculum.
What does Case Western Reserve’s legal AI program teach?
The program covers several areas.
Students learn basic AI and large language model concepts. They also examine practical applications in legal research, document review and other legal workflows.
In addition, students study ethical and regulatory issues. The program addresses professional competence, confidentiality, supervision and data management. It also explores intellectual property, liability and access-to-justice questions created by emerging technology.
The combination of theory, practical tools and professional responsibility makes the program particularly relevant to future lawyers.
Does American University offer AI and technology law courses?
Yes.
American University’s Washington College of Law offers a technology-focused curriculum that includes Regulation of AI Technology and AI Regulation: Comparative Perspective. Its curriculum also includes courses covering cyber law, privacy, cybersecurity, digital copyright and other technology-related issues.
The school’s Technology, Law & Security Program also examines AI, privacy, data governance, national security and law enforcement.
As a result, students can study AI within a wider technology and legal framework.
Does American University offer a technology-focused legal degree?
Yes.
American University’s online Master of Legal Studies program offers several specializations, including Technology and Cybersecurity. The 30-credit program combines foundational legal courses with specialization courses and electives.
The Technology specialization includes Cyber Law, Information Privacy and Data Security Law, Electronically Stored Information, Cybersecurity Governance and other technology-related courses.
The program can therefore suit professionals who want legal and regulatory knowledge without pursuing a traditional JD.
Why should law students learn artificial intelligence?
Law students should learn AI because the technology is changing legal workflows.
AI can assist with tasks such as research and document review. However, lawyers must understand how to check AI output and manage risks.
Students who learn responsible AI use can enter the profession better prepared for technology-driven workplaces. Furthermore, understanding AI can help lawyers advise clients that face new technology, privacy and regulatory issues.
AI education should therefore complement traditional legal education rather than replace it.
Can AI replace lawyers?
AI is unlikely to eliminate the need for lawyers simply because it can perform certain legal tasks.
Lawyers provide judgment, strategy, advocacy and client counseling. They also carry professional responsibilities that cannot simply be transferred to an AI system.
Instead, AI is more likely to change how lawyers perform some tasks.
Consequently, future lawyers may need to manage AI tools while focusing more heavily on verification, strategy, communication and judgment.
What AI skills should law students develop?
Law students should develop both technical awareness and traditional legal skills.
Useful areas include AI fundamentals, prompt design, legal research, document review, data privacy, cybersecurity, intellectual property, AI regulation and professional responsibility.
They should also learn how to verify AI-generated information.
Most importantly, students should maintain strong legal research, writing, analytical and communication skills. Those abilities remain central to effective legal practice.
Will AI skills help law graduates get jobs?
AI skills could provide an advantage, particularly for graduates seeking work involving legal technology, intellectual property, privacy, cybersecurity, corporate law or regulatory matters.
However, AI knowledge should not be viewed as a substitute for legal fundamentals.
Employers are likely to value candidates who can combine strong legal judgment with responsible technology use. Therefore, students should build AI experience alongside research, writing, analytical and client-service skills.
What should students consider when choosing a law school for AI education?
Students should examine whether AI training is required or optional. They should also review the courses available and determine whether the program offers hands-on experience.
In addition, applicants should look for instruction covering ethics, confidentiality, privacy, data security and AI regulation.
Career opportunities matter as well. A student interested in technology law may benefit from courses in intellectual property, privacy or cybersecurity. Meanwhile, another student may want AI training that applies to litigation, corporate law or another practice area.
The best law school for AI education will therefore depend on the student’s career objectives.
AI Education and the Future of Law
The legal profession is entering a period of rapid technological change.
Law schools cannot predict every tool lawyers will use in the future. They can, however, teach students how to evaluate technology, identify risks and apply professional judgment.
American University and Case Western Reserve demonstrate two approaches to that challenge. One emphasizes a broad technology, law and security ecosystem. The other places required AI training directly into the first-year curriculum.
For law students, the message is straightforward: learning the law remains essential, but understanding AI is becoming part of being ready for legal practice.
As law firms, courts, businesses and government agencies continue to adopt new technology, lawyers who can combine legal expertise with responsible AI use may be better positioned for the profession’s next chapter.
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