Study

648 AI Audits Practicum

In this practicum, which is an evolution of previous successful research tutorials, students will work with outside partners such as courts, legal aid organizations, and nonprofits to audit, test, and red-team AI and algorithmic products designed to aid in the provision of legal services. Students will have the opportunity to learn about the quickly-growing algorithmic audit space, collaborate with staff at our partner organizations, and take co-ownership over projects and outputs, allowing students to become well-equipped to investigate and evaluate AI tools that their firms or clients may adopt.  Students wishing to take the course should have some knowledge in one of these areas: civil justice, social science, data science, or technology products/AI. Instructor permission is required to enroll.

Instructor permission is required to enroll in this course. 

To apply, email porcaro@law.duke.edu with a few sentences about why you're interested, a CV, and a work sample. (The work sample does not need to be something you produced in law school; any recent written product is ok.) Please send applications by June 24. Students will be notified by June 29. 

No technical experience is required. Students who are interested in public interest or legal aid; who have experience doing qualitative or quantitative research; or who have experience building software products are encouraged to apply.

Course Areas of Practice
  • Innovation and Entrepreneurship
  • Intellectual Property, Science, and Technology Law
Evaluation Methods
  • Project(s)
  • Class participation
Degree Requirements
JD elective
IntlLLM-SJD-EXC elective
PIPS elective
Course Type
  • Research Tutorial
Learning Outcomes
  • Legal analysis and reasoning, legal research, problem-solving, and written and oral communication in the legal context
  • Other professional skills needed for competent and ethical participation as a member of the legal profession

Spring 2026

2026
Course Number Course Credits Evaluation Method Instructor

648.01 2
  • Reflective Writing
  • Group project(s)
 Keith Porcaro

In this research tutorial, students will work on two AI projects: an audit of a chatbot deployed by the Alaska Court System, and the design of a test protocol for adding AI to statewide legal help sites. This research tutorial follows on from a successful research tutorial offered in Spring 2025, in which students audited LIA, an AI legal help chatbot that Legal Aid of North Carolina had deployed. The product of that course was a 60+ page audit report that is now publicly available. Admission to the research tutorial requires permission of the instructor.

This semester, students will audit a probate chatbot for the Alaska Court System; and develop tests to validate AI features for a statewide legal help portal.

No technical experience is required. Students who are interested in public interest or legal aid; who have experience doing social science research; or who have experience building tech products are encouraged to apply.

Interested students should send their resume and a short (approximately 1-2 paragraphs) statement of interest about why they would like to enroll in the course to Professor Porcaro. Applications are due Wednesday, November 12, by 5pm. Students will be informed whether they have a seat in the class by Friday, December 5.

Grading Basis: Credit/No Credit

Degree Requirements
Pre/Co-requisites
None

In this section

*Please note that this information is for planning purposes only, and should not be relied upon for the schedule for a given semester. Faculty leaves and sabbaticals, as well as other curriculum considerations, will sometimes affect when a course may be offered.