The legal profession has been undergoing a transformation in recent years, primarily driven by advances in technology. Among the most influential developments is generative artificial intelligence (AI). For LL.M. students, understanding and embracing generative AI is no longer a choice but a necessity for success in their legal careers.
Law schools have recognized this imperative and are integrating generative AI into their curricula to equip their students with the tools they need to excel in the modern legal landscape.
Generative AI, a subset of AI, is characterized by its ability to create content, such as text and legal documents, autonomously. In the legal field, this technology is transforming various aspects of practice, making it crucial for aspiring lawyers.
Generative AI-powered tools have the potential to revolutionize legal research. These tools can process vast amounts of legal data with extraordinary speed and accuracy, providing legal professionals with the ability to find and analyze information more efficiently than ever before.
Also, AI-driven document automation platforms are increasingly prevalent in the legal sector. These tools not only expedite the creation of legal documents but also offer suggestions, generate templates, and provide context-based explanations, significantly improving the drafting process.
“A lot of people don’t really understand the value that these generative AI tools can add. They don’t get that it is not supposed to be used as a glorified research tool. Instead, generative AI can be used to actually help spawn creative ideas, or change the tone of memo or brief, which is very important for lawyers,” says Michele DeStefano, a professor at Miami Law.
“One of the things lawyers in the corporate legal marketplace often get wrong is that they don’t provide legal advice in the way that the client wants it,” she adds. “It might have a lot of legalese and be too long or contain too much detail. Generative AI tools can help a lawyer change the tone to make sure that a memo is written in business language, and that it is written for the client with the clients' desires in mind.”
To equip their students with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in a technology-driven legal landscape, law schools are increasingly incorporating generative AI into their LL.M. curricula.
“We’re on the cusp of a transformative change in legal practice and legal services, which requires everyone on the ladder to level up their skills. Law students need to learn the power, promise and perils of AI as they prepare for practice,” says Matthew D’Amore, the associate dean at Cornell Tech in New York City.
He notes that understanding generative AI also involves grappling with its ethical implications. LL.M. students must be equipped to address issues like bias in AI algorithms and the potential consequences of their use, ensuring they practice law ethically and responsibly.
“Today’s AI tools can accelerate the preparation and delivery of legal work and an analysis to an incredible degree, but they are not without their flaws,” adds D’Amore. “We’ve all heard about the lawyer who submitted a brief with sections generated by an AI tool that provided cases that didn’t exist. Tomorrow’s lawyer will succeed by learning how to safely incorporate these tools into their practice, to lead the charge for their responsible adoption, and to use them to be a better lawyer.”
D’Amore says the approach at Cornell Tech is two-fold. “On the one hand, we equip students to address the practice issues in a rapidly changing technology environment. In a way, that is what law schools have always done, but we anticipate special demand for tech lawyers familiar with the complex legal issues today’s AI poses,” he explains.
“On the other hand, prepare them to be ready for the changes to legal practice that AI tools will involve. We don’t need to teach a specific tool to do that -- we need to prepare students to be open-minded about new technologies in their practice, to seek out those that will help them advance their careers and firms, and to be aware of the risks and benefits.”
Indeed, many law schools include discussions and coursework on the ethical implications of generative AI in law. Students are encouraged to critically examine the ethical challenges AI presents and develop strategies to mitigate bias and uphold ethical standards.
For those who have such skill sets, DeStefano sees big career opportunities for graduating LL.M. students.
“I see a role for lawyers in advising clients on the use of artificial intelligence, but not every lawyer is equipped to do so,” she says. “Over the past decade, we’ve seen an increase in lawyers who are specializing in tech and data and data privacy, and I believe that advising clients on the use of AI is going to require some specialties and some special knowledge.”
