The Association of American Law Schools (AALS) and West Academic (a BARBRI company) have officially launched a multiyear strategic partnership dedicated to artificial intelligence. Designed to support deans, faculty, staff, and students as they adapt to new technology, this collaboration pairs West Academic’s comprehensive resources with AALS’s 125 years of institutional leadership. The initiative moves beyond theory, focusing on providing actionable tools for an evolving profession.
As Kellye Testy, AALS CEO & Executive Director, noted, the objective is to offer the academy a “trusted and established source for guidance on AI.”
AALS President Danielle Conway emphasized the importance of making these resources accessible to all institutions, regardless of their current resources. “Law schools across the nation have differing capacities with AI,” Conway said. “The partnership between AALS and West Academic will create and strengthen opportunities for leveraging AI to support and enhance our educational mission.”
What to Expect
The initiative focuses on three core pillars designed to support the legal academy:
- A National Webinar Series: Targeted at academic leaders, these sessions will explore how to integrate AI into curricula, manage risks, and address the ethical regulation of emerging tools.
- Online Resource Hub: A new digital library will offer practical examples of how law schools are evolving, featuring best practices for institutional policies and pedagogical shifts.
- Research: New research into the attitudes of faculty, students, and practitioners. The goal is to identify the gaps between student usage, faculty confidence, and what the legal market actually expects.
