Training Lawyers for a New Era
Starting in academic year 2026–27, Emory Law will offer a formal concentration in Artificial Intelligence and the Law — a structured academic pathway for J.D. students who want to develop real expertise in one of the most consequential areas of modern legal practice.
See this announcement for an overview.
How does the concentration work?
The concentration requires students to complete at least 12 credits drawn from three core areas: foundational courses at the intersection of law and AI, privacy and technology law, and intellectual property. Students can also supplement those courses with approved electives, internships, and externships. There’s no competitive application process — students simply need to satisfy the requirements and indicate their interest in their final semester. Those who do will have “Artificial Intelligence and the Law Concentration” listed directly on their transcript.
Which courses are currently available?
For more authoritative information on concentration and how it works, go to the Emory website. I wanted to highlight the relevant courses offered in the 2026-2027 academic year.
The following is subject to change, but to the best of my knowledge Emory Law students will be able to take the following courses relevant to the concentration:
AI Fundamentals
- Current Issues in Law and AI (Fall, Prof. Matthew Sag)
- AI and Legal Writing (offered in Fall and Spring)
- Law and Film – AI and Law (Spring, Prof. Ifeoma Ajunwa)
AI and Intellectual Property
- Copyright Law (Fall, Prof. Matthew Sag)
- Intellectual Property (Spring, Professor Margo Bagley)
AI Privacy and Health Law
- Privacy Law and AI (Fall, Prof. Ifeoma Ajunwa)
- Genetics & the Law (Spring, Prof. Jessica Roberts)
- Privacy Law (Spring, Adjunct Prof. Will Bracker)
Other
- Fundamentals of Innovation I (Fall, Prof. Nicole Morris)
- Fundamentals of Innovation II (Spring, Prof. Nicole Morris)
What should you take?
My advice is to think about what kind of lawyer you want to be and what kinds of clients that lawyer will work with, work backward from there to figure out what useful competencies and knowledge to build. For example, if you see yourself becoming in-house counsel at a technology company, you will also want a strong background in corporate law and antitrust, in addition to AI and IP courses. It’s also very helpful to know a little something about labor law and secure transactions.
I can’t really tell you what courses you should take, but I can tell you what I would take given my interests and the slightly unrealistic assumption that I was trying to meet all the concentration requirements in one academic year. I would take “Current Issues in Law and AI” (2 credits) and Copyright Law (3 credits) with me in the Fall; Genetics & the Law (3 credits) with Professor Roberts, and Privacy Law (3 credits) with Will Bracker in the Spring, plus AI and Legal Writing (2 credits).
Important note
This blog post is not the final authoritative word on the requirements of the concentration or the courses that will be available in the next academic year. The information presented here is meant to be helpful but not authoritative. It is definitely subject to change.
