{"id":142904,"date":"2026-01-29T16:55:35","date_gmt":"2026-01-30T00:55:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/2026\/01\/29\/top-law-school-launches-ai-cert-program\/"},"modified":"2026-01-29T16:55:35","modified_gmt":"2026-01-30T00:55:35","slug":"top-law-school-launches-ai-cert-program","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/2026\/01\/29\/top-law-school-launches-ai-cert-program\/","title":{"rendered":"Top Law School Launches AI Cert Program"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Having a JD does a lot of heavy lifting, but if you\u2019re a student who wants to have a little extra distinction on your resume, it makes sense to tack on a certificate. Tax, corporate, and business law are the traditional options, but as law schools <a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/2025\/10\/harvey-snags-even-more-seats-in-the-t14\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">rush to incorporate AI into the learning experience<\/a>, it was only a matter of time before law schools started offering certificates in AI. If the AI bubble pops soon, that certificate will probably be as valuable as <a href=\"https:\/\/futurism.com\/future-society\/zuckerberg-metaverse-cuts\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">a Master\u2019s in Metaverse studies<\/a>. If AI somehow manages to overcomes the billions in operating costs with no real hope of near-future profits, Boston University law students who earned their AI cert will be in high demand. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eweek.com\/news\/bu-law-school-ai-certificate-program\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">eWeek<\/a> has coverage:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Boston University School of Law is preparing to launch an AI certificate program in fall 2026 as part of a broader initiative aimed at training future lawyers in the ethical and effective use of AI technologies.<\/p>\n<p>The initiative reflects a growing recognition within legal education that AI is becoming deeply embedded in legal research, writing, and practice. Law school administrators say the program is designed not only to familiarize students with emerging tools, but also to address the ethical and professional challenges that accompany them.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Quick help on an ethical challenge that AI presents: if a widely accessible AI program gives you the ability to <a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/2026\/01\/california-to-investigate-if-xai-broke-the-law-with-easily-accessible-porn-deepfakes-of-women-and-minors\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">strip down images of women and children without their consent on a global platform<\/a>, don\u2019t. Hope that was helpful! <\/p>\n<p>One of the classes will focus on client confidentiality. You\u2019d think it would be a no-brainer to keep confidential information away from the cull-any-and-all-information machine, but if the Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency <a href=\"https:\/\/arstechnica.com\/tech-policy\/2026\/01\/us-cyber-defense-chief-accidentally-uploaded-secret-government-info-to-chatgpt\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">was dumb enough to upload secret information to ChatGPT<\/a>, you can\u2019t be too safe with the next generation of lawyers. Another high priority on the list should be lessons on authorship and proper citation. Balancing using AI to assist the writing process and vigilance over whenever \u201challucinations\u201d pop up isn\u2019t as easy as you may think \u2014 we\u2019ve written a bunch of articles showing otherwise. Some of the stories ripe for study include <a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/2025\/10\/judges-admit-the-obvious-concede-ai-used-for-hallucinated-opinions\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">calling out judges for lazily using AI<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/2023\/05\/chatgpt-bad-lawyering\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">attorneys getting caught lazily using AI<\/a>, and that same attorney <a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/2025\/07\/lawyer-cites-ai-hallucinations-responds-with-pretentious-meditation-on-nature-of-being\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">apologizing for their poor lawyering with over-the-top purple prose<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>As nice as it is to have the certificate up your sleeve, remember that the software won\u2019t be on the line if error tanks the strength of your briefs. You are. Whether you use AI or Quimbee or 2017 Torts outline.doc to help you through your classes, at some point you\u2019ll have to rely on your own skills and know how to get the job done. Be prepared.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eweek.com\/news\/bu-law-school-ai-certificate-program\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Boston University School of Law to Launch AI Certificate Program in Fall 2026<\/a> [eWeek]<\/p>\n<p><strong>Earlier<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/2025\/10\/judges-admit-the-obvious-concede-ai-used-for-hallucinated-opinions\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Judges Admit The Obvious, Concede AI Used For Hallucinated Opinions<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/2025\/07\/lawyer-cites-ai-hallucinations-responds-with-pretentious-meditation-on-nature-of-being\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Lawyer Cites AI Hallucinations, Responds With Pretentious Meditation On Nature Of Being<\/a><\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"512\" height=\"288\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/abovethelaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/06\/Chris-Williams-2025.jpg?resize=512%2C288&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1162378\" title=\"\"><figcaption><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Chris Williams became a social media manager and assistant editor for Above the Law in June 2021. Prior to joining the staff, he moonlighted as a minor Memelord\u2122 in the Facebook group\u00a0Law School Memes for Edgy T14s . \u00a0He endured Missouri long enough to graduate from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law. He is a former boatbuilder who is learning to swim,\u00a0is interested in critical race theory, philosophy, and humor, and has a love for cycling that occasionally annoys his peers. You can reach him by email at\u00a0<a href=\"mailto:cwilliams@abovethelaw.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">cwilliams@abovethelaw.com <\/a>and by tweet at\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/WritesForRent\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">@WritesForRent<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/2026\/01\/top-law-school-launches-ai-cert-program\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Top Law School Launches AI Cert Program<\/a> appeared first on <a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Above the Law<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Having a JD does a lot of heavy lifting, but if you\u2019re a student who wants to have a little extra distinction on your resume, it makes sense to tack on a certificate. Tax, corporate, and business law are the traditional options, but as law schools <a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/2025\/10\/harvey-snags-even-more-seats-in-the-t14\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">rush to incorporate AI into the learning experience<\/a>, it was only a matter of time before law schools started offering certificates in AI. If the AI bubble pops soon, that certificate will probably be as valuable as <a href=\"https:\/\/futurism.com\/future-society\/zuckerberg-metaverse-cuts\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">a Master\u2019s in Metaverse studies<\/a>. If AI somehow manages to overcomes the billions in operating costs with no real hope of near-future profits, Boston University law students who earned their AI cert will be in high demand. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eweek.com\/news\/bu-law-school-ai-certificate-program\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">eWeek<\/a> has coverage:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Boston University School of Law is preparing to launch an AI certificate program in fall 2026 as part of a broader initiative aimed at training future lawyers in the ethical and effective use of AI technologies.<\/p>\n<p>The initiative reflects a growing recognition within legal education that AI is becoming deeply embedded in legal research, writing, and practice. Law school administrators say the program is designed not only to familiarize students with emerging tools, but also to address the ethical and professional challenges that accompany them.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Quick help on an ethical challenge that AI presents: if a widely accessible AI program gives you the ability to <a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/2026\/01\/california-to-investigate-if-xai-broke-the-law-with-easily-accessible-porn-deepfakes-of-women-and-minors\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">strip down images of women and children without their consent on a global platform<\/a>, don\u2019t. Hope that was helpful! <\/p>\n<p>One of the classes will focus on client confidentiality. You\u2019d think it would be a no-brainer to keep confidential information away from the cull-any-and-all-information machine, but if the Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency <a href=\"https:\/\/arstechnica.com\/tech-policy\/2026\/01\/us-cyber-defense-chief-accidentally-uploaded-secret-government-info-to-chatgpt\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">was dumb enough to upload secret information to ChatGPT<\/a>, you can\u2019t be too safe with the next generation of lawyers. Another high priority on the list should be lessons on authorship and proper citation. Balancing using AI to assist the writing process and vigilance over whenever \u201challucinations\u201d pop up isn\u2019t as easy as you may think \u2014 we\u2019ve written a bunch of articles showing otherwise. Some of the stories ripe for study include <a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/2025\/10\/judges-admit-the-obvious-concede-ai-used-for-hallucinated-opinions\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">calling out judges for lazily using AI<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/2023\/05\/chatgpt-bad-lawyering\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">attorneys getting caught lazily using AI<\/a>, and that same attorney <a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/2025\/07\/lawyer-cites-ai-hallucinations-responds-with-pretentious-meditation-on-nature-of-being\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">apologizing for their poor lawyering with over-the-top purple prose<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>As nice as it is to have the certificate up your sleeve, remember that the software won\u2019t be on the line if error tanks the strength of your briefs. You are. Whether you use AI or Quimbee or 2017 Torts outline.doc to help you through your classes, at some point you\u2019ll have to rely on your own skills and know how to get the job done. Be prepared.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eweek.com\/news\/bu-law-school-ai-certificate-program\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Boston University School of Law to Launch AI Certificate Program in Fall 2026<\/a> [eWeek]<\/p>\n<p><strong>Earlier<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/2025\/10\/judges-admit-the-obvious-concede-ai-used-for-hallucinated-opinions\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Judges Admit The Obvious, Concede AI Used For Hallucinated Opinions<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/2025\/07\/lawyer-cites-ai-hallucinations-responds-with-pretentious-meditation-on-nature-of-being\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Lawyer Cites AI Hallucinations, Responds With Pretentious Meditation On Nature Of Being<\/a><\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"512\" height=\"288\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/abovethelaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/06\/Chris-Williams-2025.jpg?resize=512%2C288&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1162378\" title=\"\"><figcaption><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Chris Williams became a social media manager and assistant editor for Above the Law in June 2021. Prior to joining the staff, he moonlighted as a minor Memelord\u2122 in the Facebook group\u00a0Law School Memes for Edgy T14s . \u00a0He endured Missouri long enough to graduate from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law. He is a former boatbuilder who is learning to swim,\u00a0is interested in critical race theory, philosophy, and humor, and has a love for cycling that occasionally annoys his peers. You can reach him by email at\u00a0<a href=\"mailto:cwilliams@abovethelaw.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">cwilliams@abovethelaw.com <\/a>and by tweet at\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/WritesForRent\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">@WritesForRent<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/2026\/01\/top-law-school-launches-ai-cert-program\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Top Law School Launches AI Cert Program<\/a> appeared first on <a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Above the Law<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Having a JD does a lot of heavy lifting, but if you\u2019re a student who wants to have a little extra distinction on your resume, it makes sense to tack on a certificate. Tax, corporate, and business law are the traditional options, but as law schools rush to incorporate AI into the learning experience, it [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":142905,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-142904","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-above_the_law"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/xira.com\/p\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Chris-Williams-2025-2uuMa1.jpg?fit=512%2C288&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/142904","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=142904"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/142904\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/142905"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=142904"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=142904"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=142904"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}