Nov 05, 2024 | AI
AI and the Courts Webinar Series: Guiding Judges and Legal Professionals in All Things AI
Carter Cousineau, head of Data and Analytics (interim)/vice president of Responsible AI and Data, Thomson Reuters, shares her experience as a presenter in the AI and the Courts webinar series.
I’ve had the privilege of being among the first presenters in the AI and the Courts webinar series, which is part of the strategic AI partnership known as the Thomson Reuters Institute/National Center for State Courts AI Policy Consortium for Law and Courts. The educational webinars have prompted candid discussions among attendees and consortium members, an engaged group eager to address policy developments and shape the future of the justice ecosystem.
Below are brief recaps of our presentations and an early look at tomorrow’s webinar.
Ethics of Generative AI
I co-presented Ethics of Generative AI: A Guide for Judges and Legal Professionals with David Sachar, director of NCSC’s Center for Judicial Ethics. We covered the ethical considerations surrounding generative AI technologies.
Our session explored the core issues judges and legal professionals should consider when navigating the intersection of law and technology. We examined legal frameworks and standards related to AI and generative AI and discussed what new guidelines may be necessary. We also shared practical tools and resources for managing generative AI-related issues.
Our goal was to guide attendees as they confront the ethical complexities of generative AI. There was great engagement and feedback from our session. For example, an attendee said, “This session helped me feel a little less fearful about AI!”
Ethics of Navigating AI in Court Systems
David and I also hosted a follow-up webinar, Navigating AI in Court Systems: Ethics, Legal Frameworks, and Practical Tools. We discussed how the integration of AI in court systems promises enhanced efficiency and decision-making capabilities yet raises significant ethical and legal challenges that must be addressed to maintain public trust and uphold the principles of justice.
Our aim was to assist attendees in developing an AI infrastructure to ensure that technologies are used responsibly and ethically. We emphasized guiding principles, standards, and protocols to help courts prevent misuse, bias, and potential harm. We received overwhelmingly positive feedback. An attendee said: “I would not change a thing. Thank you for putting together this amazing and necessary series on AI.”
How to Use Prompt Engineering
I’m happy to share the next presentation will be led by my colleague Valerie McConnell, senior director, CoCounsel, Thomson Reuters, and Catherine Sanders Reach of the North Carolina Bar Association. On Nov. 6, they’ll present Getting the Best of GenAI: How to Use Prompt Engineering.
They’ll highlight the basics of prompt engineering, share best practices for writing effective prompts, discuss the common challenges and solutions in legal AI prompting, and explain how to apply AI prompting techniques to legal and court-specific cases.
I recommend registering for their Nov. 6 webinar (or the recording) to explore prompt engineering in the legal space.
It’s been an honor to be part of the AI Policy Consortium for Law and Courts. I hope you’ll join our group of top judicial officers, leading AI experts, and legal professionals as we examine how AI in general – and generative AI in particular – is shaping state, federal and international court systems.
This is a guest post from Carter Cousineau, head of Data and Analytics (interim)/vice president of Responsible AI and Data, Thomson Reuters.
