Bench & Bar March/April 2026

COLUMNS

OFFICE OF CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION HOSTS INAUGURAL AI SUMMIT

T he University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law Office of Continuing Legal Education, in partnership with the Fayette County Bar Association, held its inaugural conference on artificial intelligence on Jan. 8, 2026. Local attorneys gathered in a classroom of the law build ing for the Artificial Intelligence and the Law 2026 Winter Summit, which is part of a new series of educational programming devoted to the use of artificial intelligence in the practice of law.

of her presentation, she reminded attendees that AI can be a useful tool, but it cannot replace a human with a hard-earned law degree. “Remember that it is a tool, not an expert. You are the expert, even on the days when you don’t feel like an expert – you are the expert,” Lowry said. “You know more about this field than the platform because it’s just giving answers based on statistical proba

#UKLawProfResearch Highlight Professor Alan James Kluegel recently published an article, Networking Among the Human Capitalists: The Organizational Dynamic of Change and Power in the Large Corporate Law Firm, in the University of Richmond Law Review. In this article, Professor Kluegel uses a law firm’s own press releases to model the internal working network of the lawyers in the firm and then analyzes the factors that influence the development of the ties between lawyers and how individuals in a professional organization respond to changing economic conditions. He finds that the structure of the firm and how it has changed over time can inform our understanding of how power is distributed within legal professional organizations. YOU CAN FIND THE ARTICLE HERE: https://uknowledge. uky.edu/law_facpub/818/. The Office of Continuing Legal Education is the first continuing legal education provider in Kentucky and is known for its in-depth and scholarly continuing legal education programs. CLE’s mission is to assist law yers in keeping abreast of changes in the law, to develop and sustain practical skills and competence in the practice of law, and to maintain a high degree of professional ism in the practice of law. The Artificial Intelligence and the Law 2026 Winter Summit was recorded and will be offered as an on-demand program. For more information, visit law.uky.edu/ continuing-legal-education.

bility. You are the final decisionmaker. You are responsible for making sure the information that it gives you is correct. Treat it like you would opposing counsel.” Attorney Shelly Ann Kamei with Kentucky Legacy Law described the artificial intelligence

Mary Beth Forester, director of the Office of Continuing Legal Educa tion, welcomed attendees to the half-day summit and said CLE plans to continue providing infor mation to practitioners on the subject.

“We developed this evolving series to meet the educational needs of the legal commu nity as attorneys and legal professionals strive to keep abreast of this quickly chang ing area of law,” Forester said. “Not only is artificial intelligence the fastest growing area of law, it is the fastest growing tool in practicing law and managing law practices. We will be providing scholarly and practi cal information that all attorneys and those working in the legal field should know.” Forester said CLE plans to host a summit twice a year on various topics related to artificial intelligence. In addition, many

tools she uses for greater efficiency at her estate planning and elder law firm, includ ing tools that aid in explaining complicated concepts to clients, and maintaining confi dentiality while using these tools. Kyle R. Bunnell, an attorney at Dinsmore and a UK Rosenberg College of Law alumnus, wrapped up the summit with a presentation on the practical uses of AI and ethical implications. “I think people are genuinely frightened, but you don’t have to be frightened,” he said. “You should be cautious.”

CLE programs, regardless of the topic, often include information related to AI. Professor Christina Lowry, law practice and technology librar ian at UK Rosenberg College of Law, presented on the evolution of artificial intelligence, its bene fits, and best practices. At the end

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