Study

648 Research Tutorial: AI Audits and Access to Justice

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.

Course Areas of Practice
  • Innovation and Entrepreneurship
  • Intellectual Property, Science, and Technology Law
Evaluation Methods
  • Reflective Writing
  • Group project(s)
Degree Requirements
JD elective
IntlLLM-SJD-EXC elective
IntllLLM IP Cert
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.