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Writer's pictureAndrea Kay

Should I Use AI for My Law School Application?

By the time this blog is posted, it will be outdated. That is how fast the introduction of generative artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the law school application landscape.


In April, the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law formally adopted an AI Policy for its current students. The policy outlines the proper use of AI tools, such as the AI powered language model ChatGPT, in areas such as research and writing. With respect to prospective law school students, the University of Michigan Law School has banned AI tools on law school applications. Conversely, Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law has recently adopted a policy allowing prospective law school applicants to use AI on certain portions of their law school applications. The key caveat being that applicants must disclose that they used AI and certify that their submitted application is true and correct.


In essence, AI is now part of our world and will forever be a technological tool in all areas of commerce, including the legal industry. It is imperative that law students thoroughly understand AI and its role within the legal profession. Yale Law School has embraced this emerging technology and its implications for new lawyers by offering a class entitled: Artificial Intelligence, the Legal Profession and Rules of Procedures. The class begins by laying a foundation on the technical inner workings of AI. The esteemed professors at this highly ranked Ivy League law school realize that for new lawyers to utilize, understand and properly explore AI, they must first possess a high level of technical proficiency.


There are aspects of the legal profession ripe for automation, such as e-discovery in litigation, research and other avenues which increase efficiency in our nation’s law firms and courts of law. But a thorough understanding of this new technology reveals its inherent risks, practical challenges, and ethical dilemmas.


So, should you consult ChatGPT before you start writing that ever elusive personal statement? On the one hand, AI may be able to draft a cohesive, compelling article outlining your life experiences and journey to law school. However, only you will know what really led you to the decision to attend law school and sometimes that “real story” can only be elicited and woven through real human interaction. Sometimes the true journey to self is revealed through reflection and contemplation. Feeding a robot a topic or story line robs you of this journey. You may end up cheating yourself. Plus, there’s that pesky concept for bar admission called character and fitness (i.e., did you use AI when you were explicitly advised not to?).


Like any new technology, wise ones will embrace it, understand it, appreciate it for what it is and what it should not be before employing it. As a law school admissions consultant, I recommend researching and fully understanding the current AI policy of your prospective law schools, working within those parameters, using legitimate resources at your disposal, and writing your own personal statement.


Feel free to share comments or thoughts on this dynamic topic! Would love to get your take on it!

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