I see the future of legal education transforming before our eyes, and I’m excited to share that I’m contributing in my own small way to that transformation. My Fall 2024 syllabus for “Artificial Intelligence and the Law” at Michigan State University College of Law is now available on the Syllabi Commons, thanks to John Mayer at CALI. Think of the Syllabi Commons as open-sourcing legal education – we’re not just teaching about innovation, we’re modeling it.
You might wonder, why share a syllabus publicly? Just as early investors in transformative technologies often reap the greatest rewards, early adopters in legal education who share their resources help shape the future of our profession. When we pool our knowledge, we accelerate everyone’s learning curve.
The course design reflects what I believe tomorrow’s lawyers need today. Students aren’t just studying AI – they’re living it. They’re creating personal AI learning assistants, tackling real-world practice simulations, and developing practical skills that will serve them throughout their careers. It’s like giving them a GPS app to navigate the rapidly evolving legal landscape.
Here’s what makes this course different: it’s built around actionable outcomes. Students don’t just learn about AI – they use it. They don’t just study ethics – they wrestle with real ethical dilemmas. They don’t just read about technology competence – they develop it. By the end of the semester, they’ll have:
- Mastered the fundamentals of AI and its legal implications
- Created their own AI learning assistant
- Completed a practice simulation with an AI-focused client
- Delivered a three-minute presentation on their research
- Written a substantial paper on an AI legal topic of their choice
I see this syllabus as a living document – one that will evolve as rapidly as the technology it covers. It certainly feels like a living document in real life as I make adjustments to it, the reading materials, and what we cover based on fast-breaking developments and the vital feedback of my students.
Special thanks to the amazing John Mayer for maintaining the Syllabi Commons and encouraging professors teaching tech and law classes to contribute their materials. It’s this kind of collaborative approach that will help our profession adapt and thrive in the AI era.
If you’re teaching or planning to teach a course AI and the Law, or a course on any other topic in law and technology or innovation, I encourage you to explore my syllabus and others that catch your attention on the Syllabi Commons. And if you’re teaching a similar course, consider sharing your syllabus too.
What innovative approaches are you taking to teach law students about AI? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
[Originally posted on DennisKennedy.Blog (https://www.denniskennedy.com/blog/)]
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