Library Tech Initiative

As a law student, it’s crucial to learn about generative AI (genAI) tools to meet the ethical obligation of competence required by Rule 1.1 of the Model Rules of Professional Conduct. Several lawyers have been sanctioned for citing fictitious cases because they used genAI for legal research without understanding the technology. Developing competence in genAI ensures you protect yourself and your clients. With that foundation, you can begin building proficiency that will give you a competitive edge in the rapidly evolving legal landscape. Attending the Law School’s Legal Tech Initiative trainings will give you a jump start, but you don’t need to wait to begin learning.

Developing Competence in Generative AI

To build competence, start by choosing a generative AI tool. Paying for the best models, like GPT-4, Google Gemini Advanced, or Anthropic’s Claude 3 Opus, is best, but you can begin with free versions or take advantage of free trials and open betas to get started.

Professor Ethan Mollick, an AI expert at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, recommends spending around ten hours using genAI to understand how it might affect your industry. Try it out on everyday tasks you encounter as a law student, such as composing emails, preparing for class, understanding legalese, or brainstorming research ideas. Of course, always follow the rules your professors and employers set for using genAI.

Building Excellence and a Growth Mindset

Once you’ve developed a baseline competence, push the genAI tool further in areas where you have deeper expertise. Apply it to more complex legal tasks that require reasoning, such as understanding legislation or contracts, flagging specific issues or provisions in documents, or analyzing your legal writing. Try out the legal-specific AI tools you have access to. (Visit this page for access instructions.)

As these tools continue to evolve and become more advanced, think about how you might leverage their future capabilities in your legal practice. Remain curious and develop a forward-thinking mindset by staying informed about the latest advancements in AI and their potential applications in the legal field. You’ll set yourself apart from other lawyers and law students, and you’ll be prepared for the future of legal practice.

BYU Law’s Legal Tech Initiative (LTI) has two primary goals: technological competence and excellence. Students learn to use software common in the legal industry—such as Microsoft Word, document management systems, and e-discovery tools—and learn about important concepts like cloud technology, AI, and cybersecurity. In addition to learning the basics, students learn to turn their technology skills into a competitive advantage. They learn to leverage document automation, design thinking, and generative AI to do better, faster, cheaper legal work. These are some of the training sessions offered in the past:

The Law School also provides resources for on-demand technology training. You can find details on accessing these tools here.

• The Legal Tech Assessment provides training and assessment in the Microsoft Office Suite, PDFs, and more.
• The National Society for Legal Technology provides certifications in Legal Tech, eDiscovery, and Legal Research, including training modules for a wide variety of software tools.
• Pluralsight offers on-demand technology courses and certifications for those who want a deeper understanding of the underlying technology. It also offers “Executive Summaries,” which are videos aimed at teaching non-technology professionals what they need to know about various technologies.

Law students have free access to a number of legal tech tools. Details are available here.

Legal Technology Training is part of the BYU Law Legal Tech Initiative, which focuses on three objectives: 

1. Developing law students’ technical competence to meet their professional responsibilities as attorneys.
   
2. Providing opportunities for students at BYU Law who are interested in leveraging their tech skills in the service of society and the improvement of the practice of law.
   
3. Ensuring that BYU Law Students are familiar with the general context and direction of legal tech trends to aid in their placement in and their contribution to the legal profession.  This includes the general commitment of BYU Law Students to be curious, innovative, and creative in the application of what they experience and learn.