

AI and the Future of Law
Practising Law Institute
AI and the Future of Law is your essential podcast for understanding how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the legal industry. Hosted by Bridget McCormack and Jen Leonard, each episode delves into cutting-edge technologies, trends, and strategies, providing invaluable insights for legal professionals, tech enthusiasts, and anyone curious about the future of law. Join us as we navigate the evolving landscape of AI, empowering the legal community to thrive in an era of unprecedented innovation.This podcast is presented by the American Arbitration Association with Creative Lawyers, and distributed by PLI - bridging world-class legal education with the global leader in dispute resolution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 14, 2025 • 43min
How AI Is Changing Legal Education with Dyane O’Leary and Jonah Perlin
How should law schools teach judgment, writing, and readiness in the age of AI? Georgetown’s Jonah Perlin and Suffolk’s Dyane O’Leary join hosts Jen Leonard and Bridget McCormack to explore how generative AI is reshaping legal education—from 1L writing and grading to ethics, policy, and professional judgment.They share real classroom experiments that reveal how professors are using AI to teach reasoning and curiosity, and how schools are balancing innovation with integrity through redesigned assessments and “AI literacy” curricula. The conversation also dives into multimodal and voice-based tools transforming how students learn, communicate, and prepare for modern practice.Topics covered:How AI is transforming legal writing and pedagogyGrading, integrity, and fairness in the AI eraWhat “practice-ready” means for future lawyersThe rise of multimodal and voice-driven learningBuilding judgment and curiosity through AI Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 30, 2025 • 36min
Can Judges Use AI? Inside the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s Interim Policy
Can state‑court judges safely use generative AI? In this episode, Jen Leonard and Bridget McCormack unpack Pennsylvania’s interim policy for courts—what it allows, what it restricts, and how human review and confidentiality guardrails work in practice. They compare real AI workflows from their own desks—editing a book with Claude and turning a long essay into slides—and dissect the “AI pilots are failing” storyline versus the reality of high adoption and slower ROI. You’ll also hear why court labs, enterprise access, and judge‑focused guidelines matter now.We cover:Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s interim AI policy and guardrailsAI Aha!: Claude as editor; ChatGPT vs. Claude vs. Gemini for slidesMIT “AI pilots” narrative vs. actual adoption and ROI timelinesCourt “AI labs,” enterprise licenses, and chatbots for self‑represented litigantsMichigan pilot with Learned Hand and practical guidance for judgesEpisode Highlights:02:56 AI Aha! Moments10:10 What Just Happened: MIT Report21:55 Main Topic: PA Supreme Court’s Interim AI policy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 16, 2025 • 51min
Inside Legal Innovation: AI Adoption with Jae Um & Ilona Logvinova
Ilona Logvinova, Director of Practice Innovation at Cleary Gottlieb, and Jae Um, Co-founder of Lumio, dive into the evolving legal landscape. They discuss how to turn AI experiments into impactful practices, covering everything from culture shifts to practical AI tools in law. The duo emphasizes the need for law schools to adapt curricula for an AI-driven world and explore the balance between acquisitions and organic growth in legal innovation. Prepare for a lively debate on legal education, sprinkled with humorous insights!

Sep 2, 2025 • 34min
GPT-5 and the Future of Legal AI Regulation
Explore whether GPT-5 is ready for legal practice and the vital role of human oversight in the courtroom. The discussion highlights AI's potential to reduce human error and the challenges faced by legal professionals in integrating new technology. Tune in for innovative features of GPT-5, and insights from a pivotal report on consumer-focused AI regulation in legal services. The conversation also touches on the evolving roles of legal professionals and how communities adapt to these advancements.

Aug 19, 2025 • 41min
Garfield Law: Inside the World’s First AI-Native Law Firm
Phillip Young, a former city commercial litigator and named solicitor at Garfield Law, teams up with Daniel Long, a quantum physicist turned AI entrepreneur, to dive into the groundbreaking world of AI in legal practice. They discuss how Garfield Law revolutionizes small debt claims and navigates complex regulatory landscapes. Discover their innovative approach to tackling AI hallucinations and the future of API-integrated courts. The conversation unveils how AI could redefine legal training and improve access to justice globally.

Aug 5, 2025 • 41min
Can AI Help You Win in Court? A New Era of Self-Representation
Can AI truly outsmart a lawyer in the courtroom? Discover thrilling real-life stories of self-represented litigants finding success with AI tools. The hosts propose the radical idea of "robot lawyers" in appellate arguments. They demystify ChatGPT agents and their task completion prowess, while also highlighting innovative gamification in legal education. Explore how AI is reshaping access to justice, empowering those unable to afford legal representation, and the potential it has to revolutionize advocacy in court.

Jul 22, 2025 • 40min
Building an AI-Forward Law Firm: Lessons from Quinn Emanuel
Jen Reeves, Lead Innovation Counsel, and Chris Kercher, a litigation powerhouse at Quinn Emanuel, discuss how their firm is reimagining legal practice with AI. They explore the profound impact of building an AI culture without mandates, emphasizing a mindset shift to unlock potential. Practical applications include using Claude for real litigation workflows and managing travel with generative AI. They also provide insights for small firms and highlight how AI is making law more collaborative, efficient, and enjoyable.

Jul 8, 2025 • 34min
Training the Next Generation of Lawyers: How AI Is Redefining Legal Training
Discover how AI is reshaping legal education and the apprenticeship model. The hosts share innovative uses of AI, like custom GPTs for arbitration coaching and citation enhancements. They ponder the decline of traditional training methods and advocate for a structured approach to legal education. Key partnerships, like Harvey with LexisNexis, could signal a major shift in legal workflows. With a focus on accessibility and the future of training, this discussion highlights the opportunities and challenges AI presents in the legal field.

Jul 1, 2025 • 7min
A New Name, A New Era: Welcome to AI and the Future of Law
In Episode 27, hosts Jen Leonard and Bridget McCormack kick off a new chapter with a fresh name — AI and the Future of Law — and a new presenting partnership with the Practising Law Institute (PLI), in collaboration with the American Arbitration Association. The rebrand reflects their evolving mission while keeping the heart of the podcast intact: accessible, thought-provoking insights on how AI is reshaping the legal profession.Listeners can expect the same candid co-host dialogue, plus a broader range of formats, including expert interviews. In this bite-sized bonus episode, Jen and Bridget celebrate the new launch and share personal “AI Aha!” moments — from ChatGPT-powered tick identification in Michigan to motivational coaching for long-distance runs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jun 24, 2025 • 40min
ChatGPT Gets an A+: What That Means for Law School, Workflows, and Your Everyday Life
What does it mean when AI outperforms law students? In this episode, Jen and Bridget explore a groundbreaking study showing that OpenAI’s latest model, O3, earned A+ grades on actual law school finals — outperforming top students in multiple subjects. But that’s just one part of the story.Episode Highlights(3:02) Bridget’s latest “AI Aha!” — using ChatGPT to design and facilitate a 300-person workshop in under 60 minutes(7:13) Jen’s latest “AI Aha!” — leveraging Deep Research to uncover funding leads and pitch differentiators for a nonprofit project(11:53) Meta’s $14.8 billion investment in Scale AI and the race for superintelligence(18:22) OpenAI’s new integrations with Gmail, Slack, and Asana — and what that means for legal workflows and privacy(23:02) A new study shows ChatGPT earning A+ grades on law school finals — prompting urgent questions about legal education, assessment, and what skills truly matterKey Questions We Explore:- Are traditional law exams still relevant?- How should law schools and employers adapt?- What new skills matter most in an AI-enabled legal future?#ChatGPT #LegalTech #FutureOfLaw #AIinEducation #OpenAI #MetaAI #LegalInnovation #2030VisionPodcastAI and the Future of Law is your essential podcast for understanding how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the legal industry. Hosted by Bridget McCormack and Jen Leonard, each episode delves into cutting-edge technologies, trends, and strategies, providing invaluable insights for legal professionals, tech enthusiasts, and anyone curious about the future of law. Join us as we navigate the evolving landscape of AI, empowering the legal community to thrive in an era of unprecedented innovation.Produced by Aaron Tran for the American Arbitration Association Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.