Boyd School of Law Launches New Course on the Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence in Legal Practice
Beginning in fall 2026, the William S. Boyd School of Law at UNLV will offer a new required course designed to prepare law students for one of the biggest shifts currently reshaping the legal profession: the rise of artificial intelligence.
Introduction to the Responsible Use of AI will give first-year students practical, hands-on experience with generative and agentic AI tools while emphasizing a critical lesson for future attorneys: just because AI can perform a task does not mean that it should.
Co-taught by Professors Nancy Rapoport and Joe Regalia, the course reflects Boyd Law’s commitment to preparing students for the evolving realities of legal practice while maintaining a strong foundation in ethics, professionalism, and client service.
“Artificial intelligence is already changing how legal work gets done,” said Professor Rapoport. “Our goal is to ensure that students understand both the opportunities and the risks of these tools so that they can use them responsibly and effectively.”
Throughout the semester, students will explore how AI can enhance legal work, improve efficiency, and support innovation — and will learn at which stages human judgment remains essential.
The course will focus heavily on the concept of keeping the “human in the loop,” teaching students how to critically evaluate AI-generated content rather than relying on it as a substitute for legal analysis.
“Lawyers still need to think critically, exercise judgment, and protect their clients’ interests,” said Professor Regalia. “This course helps students understand how AI can augment their work, not replace the skills that make great lawyers.”
Students will gain foundational knowledge in several key areas, including ethical considerations surrounding AI use in legal practice, the strengths and weaknesses of various AI platforms, prompt engineering and effective AI workflows, AI bias and predictive reasoning challenges, process improvement and innovation thinking, and practical legal applications of AI tools. What makes this course different is that it will also teach students the skills that they need to use AI as a study tool, as a drafting tool, and in the context of learning a bit more about Contracts, Civil Procedure, and Torts.