Article on Professor Patrick Barry has be...

Professor Patrick Barry has been named director of artificial intelligence initiatives at the University of Michigan Law School. He will coordinate the school's growing AI portfolio, focusing on skills training, student programming, and connecting AI-related work across the law school. The appointment comes as Michigan Law grows its AI offerings. The school recently launched the AI Law and Policy Clinic and established an AI Advisory Council. Faculty members are also running their own AI research projects. "AI is reshaping both the legal world and our broader society," Neel U. Sukhatme, David A. Breach Dean of Law and professor of law, said in announcing the appointment. "Along with our many talented faculty working in this field, Patrick's work will help ensure we remain leaders in preparing our students to apply these tools effectively and responsibly." Barry called the appointment a dream job. He said it lets him work with faculty doing AI research, help students prepare for a world where AI is both a collaborator and a competitor, and learn from colleagues across the university.

Two new courses this fall

Barry created the online course AI for Lawyers and Other Advocates and wrote the forthcoming book AI Tips and Traps. This fall he will teach AI Sandbox and Editing, Advocacy, and AI. AI Sandbox gives students a chance to test and critically evaluate various AI tools. Editing, Advocacy, and AI focuses on writing and the relationship between language skills and AI use. Barry explained that AI models reward people who give specific, context-rich instructions. The better a student is with language, the better they can direct AI. Used thoughtfully, AI can sharpen thinking and improve communication. His hope, he said, is that students learn to use AI "less as an ego-inflating flatterer or wholesale substitute for their brain and more as a skill-building editor."

Orientation and beyond

Barry will also lead lunch talks for incoming students on the pros and cons of using AI as a study tool. He will serve as a resource for faculty, staff, alumni, and organizations looking to become more AI-savvy. At new student orientation in August, Barry and Professor Salomé Viljoen will run a session called "Skilled Skeptics: How to Thrive in Law School in the Age of AI." Barry said the goal is to give students both technical understanding and cognitive vigilance before classes start. Barry's broader goal is to make Michigan Law known for graduates who are well-suited for the AI era. "I want people to know that if they hire a lawyer who went to Michigan, they will be getting someone who is really good at AI and really good at a lot of other things too, including being an imaginative, analytical, and empathetic human being."

Why this matters for legal professionals

Michigan Law's approach - hands-on courses, orientation programming, and faculty support - reflects a broader shift in legal education. Law firms and legal departments increasingly expect new hires to understand AI tools, their limits, and their ethical implications. For practicing lawyers, AI for Legal training covers similar ground, from practical tool use to responsible application in client work. The emphasis on critical evaluation also extends to how law schools teach. AI for Education programs are being built around the same principle: students need both technical fluency and the judgment to know when AI is helping or misleading them.