Artificial intelligence (AI) is often referred at law schools as the technology of the “future,” however, at Charleston School of Law it has long been an integral part of preparing students for the practice of law.
Charleston Law has been an early adopter of technology-driven learning experiences for law students. Professor Allyson Haynes-Stuart, who has been teaching Principles of e-Discovery said, “AI has been used for years in the context of e-discovery in helping predict document responsiveness and privilege. Students have the opportunity to be fluent in AI processes that can help automate other tasks as well, while remaining aware of the limitations inherent in using AI.”
The e-Discovery curriculum provides law students with hands-on, practice-based training in the legal, technological, and ethical issues that are raised by the technology.
Principles of e-Discovery: Through the course law students explore the federal rules that apply to e-discovery as well as the growing body of case law focusing on document retention, cost allocation, spoliation, computer forensics and other discovery issues as they apply in the electronic context. Students learn the value of negotiating search terms, maintaining information management systems, navigating metadata, and avoiding judicial sanctions through simulated discovery conferences, drafting, and negotiation relating to the preservation and production of data.
Katie Brown, Associate Dean for Information Resources, has been teaching legal technology for practice since 2018, including two current courses on Artificial Intelligence.
“The 2024 ABA Legal Technology Survey Report was recently released, and the results showed AI is rapidly integrating into legal practice,” said Brown. “This growth demonstrates something I have been writing about for a few years, that law schools have a crucial responsibility not just to teach students to understand the law but also to master the technology tools they’ll use daily and navigate the ethical dilemmas that come with them. I am proud that at the Charleston School of Law, we offer a variety of skills courses that are technology focused.”
Dean Brown also teaches two courses on technology and the law:
Legal Technology for Practice: Technology (AI, bots, blockchain, etc.) and innovation are transforming the role of lawyers and the delivery of legal services. Even basic competency in the technology used in a legal office today is a must for the modern lawyer. Students will explore both the current trends and future possibilities of technology use in the law … the course will provide students with the theoretical and practical background for different legal technologies that are in everyday use in the profession today. This course will introduce students to legal technology in a hands-on, experiential setting, focusing on the practical application and implementation of legal technology tools in practice. Prior experience with technology is not a prerequisite for this class.
Artificial Intelligence: Law, Policy, and Practice: This course aims to provide students with a solid foundation in the evolving landscape of AI-related laws and policies while delving into the AI and generative AI tools used in practice and the compliance and ethical complexities they raise for the attorney. Moreover, the course will explore how the integration of machine learning tools into legal practice has the potential to transform the delivery of legal services, making them more accessible to diverse populations, from individual consumers to government entities, legal aid organizations, and multinational corporations grappling with complex legal challenges.
Charleston Law faculty and leadership has also invested significant time and resources to provide students with programming opportunities to take a deeper dive into technology and the law beyond the classrooms. The school offers forums (SentinelOne CyberLaw Forum and the Law & Society Symposium), guest speakers, courses, and externships to prepare students with the skills necessary to succeed in the legal profession.
In January, Charleston School of Law partnered with the SentinelOne CyberLaw Forum. The Forum is designed for legal professionals interested in exploring the latest challenges related to cybersecurity and the Law. The CyberLaw Forum has become renowned for providing practical, actionable education tailored for law firms of all sizes and corporate legal departments. The 2025 Forum covered Geopolitical Conflict, What’s Concerning Cyber Insurers, Hacking Incident Response, National Cyber Strategy & Federal Regulations, Automotive Security & Liability, and Artificial Intelligence Transforming Cybersecurity.
Last month, Charleston School of Law and the Charleston Law Review along with partners at the Riley Institute at Furman University hosted the 17th annual Law & Society Symposium at the Charleston Museum Auditorium. The event titled Digital Delay: How to Address the Law’s Lag Behind Social Media’s Rapid Revolution explored regulatory frameworks that govern social media, potentially harmful flaws and the broader effects of social media use. Since its inception, the Symposium has attracted legal scholars, policy makers, and industry professionals who share a common goal of deepening our understanding of the opportunities and challenges.
Last year the 16th annual Law & Society Symposium tackled Artificial Intelligence. At the event Brown noted that since AI’s public arrival in November 2018 ChatGPT has attracted 180 million users and 1.5 billion visits per month and has generated $50 billion in venture funding while Global AI spending expected to exceed $200 Billion+.
Caption: Students who received Data Privacy Scholarships as part of our Cyberlaw Forum, co-hosted by SentinelOne. The scholarships were sponsored by, from left to right, Kroll (Maeve Cavanaugh), Obsidian (Eliza Kapeluck Jackson), Solis Security (Alexa Libert), and Pondurance (Kayla Rivera)
Charleston Law students Maeve Cavanaugh, Eliza Kapeluck Jackson, Alexa Libert, and Kayla Rivera received Data Privacy Scholarships at the annual SentinelOne CyberLaw forum.
Cavanaugh, a 3L at Charleston Law and Lowcountry native, is a first generation law student in her family. She was awarded an academic scholarship from Kroll, a New York-based firm which focuses on corporate finance, cyber risk and intelligence. “My passion for privacy has evolved from a personal interest into a career focus,” wrote Cavanaugh in her scholarship letter to the committee. “I came to law school because I know that the law is a powerful tool, and I want to use that tool to help protect privacy.”
She said she has had personal experience that taught her the value of privacy and served as the inspiration for her Law Review article titled, Eye Spy with My Little i(Phone): The Path to Holding Developers of Consumer Spyware Liable Under Federal Law, which is scheduled to be published in the Spring 2025 Charleston Law Review.
“It is the very reason I became interested in the law, and the law is one of the most powerful tools in safeguarding and securing private information,” said Cavanaugh. “My Law Review article addresses the culpability of spyware developers for violations and damages resulting from their products. The experience revealed not only the profound harm such tools can inflict but also the urgent need for legal reform in this area. Knowing that my work might contribute to advancing privacy protections gives me hope and motivates me to continue advocating for change in this field.”
Coral Springs, Florida native Alexa Libert was also awarded a Data Privacy Scholarship from SentinelOne sponsor Solis Security. Libert is the president of the Entertainment, Art, and Sports Law Society (EASL), editor of Charleston Law Review, and treasurer of Intellectual Property Legal Society at Charleston Law. Libert said she plans on pursuing a legal career with an emphasis on data privacy and security.
Eliza Kapeluck Jackson, a 3L a Charleston Law, was awarded an academic scholarship from Obsidian Security, a California-based data and security firm.
Jackson, a graduate of the University of South Carolina majored in political science and Spanish, recently submitted her legal research paper, No Face, No Case: The Regulation of AI-Generated Child Pornography to Elon Law Journal. Her application was accepted and is scheduled to be published this spring.
Jackson also bolstered her tech-law experience during law school after receiving SBA grants to attend to the NACDL’s “Zealous Advocacy in Sexual Assault & Child Victims Cases” and the American Bar Association’s White Collar Crime Conference.
She recently worked as a law clerk at Berkshire Hathaway Homestate, a national insurance group. “The experience provided me with valuable exposure to the field of privacy law,” she said. “I hope to use part of the scholarship funds to pursue a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP) certification.”
In June 2024, the ABA Task Force on Law and Artificial Intelligence released the results of its AI and Legal Education Survey. The survey revealed that “law schools are increasingly incorporating AI into their curricula. More than half of the law schools that responded to the survey (55%) reported that they offer classes dedicated to teaching students about AI. An overwhelming majority (83%) reported the availability of curricular opportunities, including clinics, where students can learn how to use AI tools effectively. The survey suggests that AI is already having a significant impact on legal education and is likely to result in additional changes in the years ahead.”
“What I love most about my experience at Charleston Law are the opportunities to pursue my individual interests,” said Eliza Kapeluck Jackson. “I’ve been able to tailor the trajectory of my legal education, which is great for self-motivation and thinking outside of the box. I urge all students to take advantage of the school’s resources to make the most out of their education and find their niche.”
Once considered a theoretical “next generation” technology, today, AI is transforming the legal industry. A recent study conducted by Thomson Reuters on AI and the practice of law revealed that technology has played a critical role in creating more efficient processes using automated AI-generated tasks. As a result, in law firms both big and small, AI “allows attorneys to work faster, more comprehensively, and at a lower cost.”
In addition, the 2024 ABA Legal Technology Survey Report revealed that 13% of respondents believe AI is already mainstream while 45% expect AI to become so within the next three years. “Treat Gen AI like a knowledgeable legal assistant not a lawyer,” noted Brown. “Use Gen AI for its knowledge and communication skills not legal opinions or reasoning. Remember, Gen AI does not think or reason, instead it learns with every interaction it has with a user.”
“Charleston Law has embraced technology as a whole,” said Interim Dean Jon Marcantel. “We recognized early the impact technology was having on the practice of law and began developing courses, events, guest speakers, and student organizations to help both students and faculty explore and learn about the subject. The creation of educational opportunities has helped students develop practice-ready skills in the legal field.”
Charleston School of Law has positioned itself as a vanguard of technology in both the classroom and through hands-on learning opportunities (internships, externships and student organizations). In addition to the aforementioned e-Discovery course the Law School also offers elective courses in Privacy Law, Intellectual Property, and Artificial Intelligence (Law, Policy, and Practice) to introduce students to legal technology while focusing on the practical application and implementation in practice.
Final Exam Week for the Spring 2025 semester will be held at Charleston School of Law will be held Wednesday-Saturday, April 30–May 3 and Monday-Thursday, May 5 – May 8.
Charleston School of Law will host its annual Spring Commencement on Saturday, May 10 at The Citadel’s McAlister Field House at 2:00 p.m.
