Education Center

Introduction

The Thomson Reuters Institute/NCSC AI Policy Consortium is designed to inform and educate the judiciary and other legal professionals about the opportunities and challenges of evolving AI and Generative AI solutions to assist judges in making informed decisions about adoption and use. In this new AI and the Courts webinar series, the consortium will host monthly discussions about key AI topics.

Upcoming Webinars

Navigating AI in Court Systems: Ethics, Legal Frameworks, and Practical Tools

Wednesday, Oct. 16, 1 p.m. ET

The integration of AI in court systems promises enhanced efficiency and decision-making capabilities. However, it also raises significant ethical and legal challenges that must be addressed to maintain public trust and uphold the principles of justice.

An extension of, Ethics of Generative AI: A Guide for Judges and Legal Professionals, this session will assist participants in developing an AI ethics infrastructure to ensure that AI technologies are used responsibly and ethically. A proactive approach that includes guiding principles, standards, and protocols helps courts prevent misuse, bias, and potential harm, thereby safeguarding the integrity of the judicial process and preserving public trust and confidence in our legal system.

By the end of "Navigating AI in Court Systems: Ethics, Legal Frameworks, and Practical Tools," participants will be able to:

  • Understand the potential need for revisions or additions to existing legal frameworks and standards to ensure they remain relevant, comprehensive, and capable of safeguarding justice, fairness, and privacy.
  • Access practical, ready-to-use tools and resources designed to guide the ethical and effective handling of generative AI-related issues within court systems.

Instructors David Sachar, director of NCSC’s Center for Judicial Ethics, and Carter Cousineau, Vice President of Data and Model Governance at Thomson Reuters, will explore existing legal frameworks and standards that govern the use of AI and Generative AI in judicial processes and discuss how advances in technology may create the need for revisions or additions. They will also share a wealth of information and resources that can assist courts with integrating Generative AI solutions in an ethical and responsible manner.

Sachar joined NCSC in 2023 and previously served as the executive director of the Arkansas Judicial Discipline & Disability Commission. He is an emeritus member of the board of directors of the Association of Judicial Disciplinary Counsel and a member of the board of directors of the Institute for African Women in the Law. Cousineau leads a global team at Thomson Reuters focused on advancing the technology industry with ethical practices. She has extended her work in AI through her advisory involvement with the AI Safety Consortium at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the University of Toronto’s Data Sciences Institute, and International Association of Privacy Professionals.

This webinar is a follow up to Ethics of Generative AI: A Guide for Judges and Legal Professionals. Watching the first ethics webinar is recommended, but not required.

Register today for this deeper exploration of the intersection of AI and the law.

Getting the Best of GenAI: How to Use Prompt Engineering

Wednesday, Nov. 6, 12 p.m. ET

Using GenAI effectively means asking good questions or specifying precise instructions, a task known as prompt engineering. In this session, instructors Catherine Sanders Reach of the North Carolina Bar Association and Valerie McConnell of Thomson Reuters will give you some practical skills needed to use GenAI by crafting effective prompts.

By the end of “Getting the Best of GenAI: How to Use Prompt Engineering,” participants will be able to:

  • Understand the basics of prompt engineering,
  • Learn best practices for writing effective prompts,
  • Understand common challenges and solutions in legal AI prompting, and
  • Apply AI prompting techniques to legal and court-specific cases.

Following the webinar, participants will receive access to a sandbox where they can practice prompt engineering in a safe environment.

In her role as director of the North Carolina Bar Association’s Center for Practice Management, Reach provides practice technology and management assistance to lawyers and legal professionals. She has held similar legal technology positions with the American Bar Association and Chicago Bar Association.

McConnell, a senior director for customer success at Thomson Reuters, uses her litigation background to help build software solutions for attorneys. She previously served as vice president of client success at Casetext.

Register today to learn how to get the most out of GenAI.

Past Webinars

September 18:  Ethics of Generative AI: A Guide for Judges and Legal Professionals

August 28: Fundamentals of  AI in the US Court System

Archive

Stanford University, Hallucination-Free? Assessing the Reliability of Leading AI Legal Research Tools (2024)

AI 101: The Promises and Perils of AI in the Courts (2023)
Court and legal experts demystify the basics of artificial intelligence during this discussion.

AI and the Impact on the Practice of Law (2023)
Learn about legal factors such as bias in AI, ethical and regulatory considerations, and the impact of AI on law firms.

Impact of AI in the Courts (2023)
Panelists share insights from their roles on the bench and in court technology leadership and provide guidance on what courts can do now to be future-ready for future impacts.

Beyond ChatGPT: How can AI tools help you? (2023)
Gain insights from NCSC’s experience using large language models, such as ChatGPT, to extract data from court documents.

Tiny Chat 138: Sea of Junk (2024)
Understand the challenges faced by court users trying to navigate the legal system through misinformation and learn if AI can help or hinder the user experience.

A Description of AI and Court Use Cases  (2023)
Discover how natural language processing (NLP) and related technologies can be used in civil case management.

Steps Towards a Successful Implementation of AI (2023)
Learn tips on successful implementation of natural language processing (NLP) and related technologies.

*New* Artificial Intelligence, Part Two, with Justin Forkner of the Indiana Judicial Branch and Stacey Marz of the Alaska Court System, Lady Justice: Women of the Court podcast

Artificial Intelligence, Part One, with Professor Amy Cyphert. Lady Justice: Women of the Court podcast