8:55 Welcome and Introductions
9:00 Generative AI 101 for Lawyers‡
Matthew J. Giangrosso, Allen Stahl + Kilbourne, Asheville
This session introduces lawyers to the basics of generative AI, specifically large language models, the technology and its development. This session demonstrates how the various publicly available generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Bard and Bing work. Attendees gain a better understanding of how to integrate AI tools into their work, as well as an awareness of the potential risks and benefits associated with these technologies.
10:00 Break
10:10 AI-Related Professional Responsibility*
Jeffrey M. "Jeff" Kelly, Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP, Raleigh
Nichole P. McLaughlin, North Carolina State Bar, Raleigh
What is artificial intelligence, and how can we fit these emerging tools into legal practice? If new technology like generative artificial intelligence is constantly evolving, how can I be sure that I am not violating the Rules of Professional Conduct if I use these tools to accomplish my client's goals? This session provides an overview of the current state of artificial intelligence and its integration into the legal profession while considering the ethical implications of a lawyer's employment of artificial intelligence.
11:10 Break
11:20 Practical Guidance for Picking AI Tools to Get the Job Done‡
Catherine Sanders Reach, North Carolina Bar Association, Cary
Generative AI tools are everywhere! What are some practical ways lawyers can use these tools to get work done? In this session we review many tools on the market — including free, paid, and BETA — that can help with anything from contract drafting to legal research to summarization to video editing and much more. We look at pros, cons, benefits and risks associated with different products, as well as how to keep up with the ever-evolving world of generative AI.
12:20 Lunch Break
1:20 Cybersecurity Preparedness for Lawyers*‡
Alyssa Pearce, Constangy Brooks Smith & Prophete LLP, Raleigh
Josh Rowland, Fidelity Investments, Durham
Multi-factor authentication? Encryption? Virtual private networks? Oh my! This session focuses on best cybersecurity practices for attorneys, including when working remotely. It also features a review of our ethical requirements to protect our client data and discusses trends in data breaches in the legal industry. Attendees gain understanding of cybersecurity tools and strategies to help protect their client data, recognize common vectors for attacks, and understand how risks associated with technology affect their ethical obligations to keep client data safe. (This session qualifies for 0.50 Ethics/Professional Responsibility credit.)
2:20 Break
2:30 Law and Technology: A View From the Bench*
Judge R. Allen Baddour Jr., North Carolina Superior Court – Judicial District 15B, Pittsboro
Judge Martin B. "Marty" McGee, North Carolina Superior Court – Judicial District 19A, Concord
Judge Ashleigh D. Parker, North Carolina District Court – 10th Judicial District, Raleigh
In an age where generative AI is increasingly integrated into the legal landscape, its ethical use and the associated professional responsibilities of lawyers come to the forefront. A panel of esteemed North Carolina judges provides a perspective on the judiciary's viewpoint regarding these concerns. Panelists discuss the ethical obligations lawyers bear when utilizing AI tools and the judges' expectations for lawyers presenting AI-driven arguments or evidence in the courtroom. Additionally, the panel dives into potential pitfalls lawyers might encounter, best practices to ensure responsible AI use, and the importance of adequate training and competency in the use of AI tools.
3:30 Adjourn
* Indicates portion providing Ethics/Professional Responsibility credit
‡ Indicates portion providing Technology Training credit
Thank you for joining us for A Lawyers Toolkit for a Future with AI (2024 Future of Law Committee Program).
The Future of Law Committee's CLE program is a must-attend event for legal professionals seeking insights into AI's impact on the practice of law.
Judge R. Allen Baddour Jr. has been Superior Court Judge for the 15B Judicial District of the State of North Carolina since 2006 and Senior Resident Superior Court Judge since 2020 in Pittsboro. He was an Assistant District Attorney in Chatham County from 2001-2006, and practiced law with Baddour & Milner PLLC from 1997-2001.
Judge Baddour has served on the Board of Governors of the North Carolina Bar Association and on the Bench-Bar, Criminal Justice, and Membership Committees of the NCBA. He was president of the 15B Bar Association (2005-06). He is the Chair of the Pattern Jury Instruction Committee and serves on the Education Committee of the Conference of North Carolina Superior Court Judges.
Judge Baddour teaches at New Judges School, New Senior Residents School, and at conferences.
Judge Baddour earned his B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his J.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law.
April G. Dawson is Associate Dean of Technology and Innovation and Professor of Law at North Carolina Central University in Durham.
Widely regarded as an expert on the role of technology in legal education, April is the inaugural Associate Dean of Technology and Innovation and a Professor of Law at North Carolina Central University School of Law and oversees the operation of the NCCU Technology Law & Policy Center. She is the author of the recently published book, Artificial Intelligence and Academic Integrity.
April is a frequent presenter on legal pedagogy and the use of technology in legal education. She has given several American Association of Law Schools (AALS) presentations and webinars, including Teaching with Technology for Maximum Student Engagement, Tech Productivity Tips for Law Faculty, and The Paperless Law Prof. She was the recipient of the 2021 AALS Technology, Law and Legal Education Section Award, and a 2022 ABA Women of Legal Tech Honoree.
April has also presented multiple times at the ABA TECHSHOW, presenting on the 2020 panels Skills Building: Best Practices for Teaching Tech to Law Students and the Tech Forward: New Jobs for New Lawyers; presenting Law of Technology vs. Law Practice Technology Courses: Who Should Teach and How to Design in 2021; and presenting on the 2022 panels Planning for a Successful Career: Tech to Improve Your Thinking and Creativity and The Untapped Opportunity: Rethinking Access to Justice to Grow Your Business.
April teaches and has taught a wide range of law school classes, including Constitutional Law, Supreme Court Seminar, Torts, Artificial Intelligence Foundations and the Law, Legal Technology Equity & Leadership, and has been voted Professor of the Year multiple times.
April is a member of the ABA Center for Innovation Governing Council, co-host of the ABA Innovation Network Podcast, Vice Chair of the North Carolina Bar Association Future of Law Committee, and immediate past Chair of the AALS Section on Technology, Law and Legal Education. She is also a member of the North Carolina Governor's Task Force for Racial Equity in Criminal Justice, and vice chair of the Board of Directors for Democracy NC.
April also co-hosts the Legal Eagle Review radio show with her colleague, Irving Joyner, on WNCU 90.7 FM, in which weekly live interviews shed light on law-related concerns for people in the local community, as well as at the state and national level.
April earned her undergraduate degree in Computer Science from Bennett College and was a computer programmer before attending law school. She earned her J.D., cum laude, from Howard University School of Law, and joined the Civil Division of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) through its Attorney General's Honors Program immediately after law school. While at DOJ, she argued cases before the United States Courts of Appeals for the Fifth, Seventh, and Ninth Circuits. In 1996, she served as a law clerk to the Honorable Emmet G. Sullivan of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
Click here for more information about April.
Matthew J. Giangrosso is an attorney with Allen Stahl + Kilbourne in Asheville. His practice primarily focuses on civil litigation, particularly commercial and small business litigation. He also has experience in labor and employment law, representing clients who have been unlawfully discriminated against by their employers as prohibited under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. He has successfully litigated and resolved multiple cases in his short legal career and is comfortable adapting to novel legal issues or unorthodox circumstances as a case demands.
Matthew earned his B.A., magna cum laude, in Political Science from Mississippi State University and his J.D. from the University of North Carolina School of Law. During law school, he was a competing member of the Holderness National Moot Court Team.
Click here for more information about Matthew.
Jeffrey M. "Jeff" Kelly is a Partner at Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP in Raleigh. He focuses his practice in areas of emerging technology, particularly in areas involving data analytics, digital assets, and FinTech. He works closely with entrepreneurs and companies to effectively navigate changing regulations, government investigations, and complex corporate and securities law challenges protecting trade secrets, including the North Carolina Business Court, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and federal courts.
Jeff serves in several leadership positions at the intersection of law, technology, and increasing access to justice. He currently serves on the Governing Council of the American Bar Association's Center for Innovation and is the Past Chair of the North Carolina Bar Association's Future of Law Committee, both of which are charged with tracking, analyzing, and contextualizing the impact of leading edge technology on the practice of law and delivery of legal services. He is also a Fellow of Duke University School of Law's Center on Law and Technology. He is the Chair of the Advisory Board for Legal Aid of North Carolina's Innovation Lab and serves on Legal Aid's Board of Directors.
Jeff earned his B.A. in Philosophy from North Carolina State University and his J.D. from Campbell University Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law.
Click here for more information about Jeff.
Judge Martin B. "Marty" McGee has served as the Senior Resident Superior Court Judge in Judicial District 19A (Cabarrus County, North Carolina) since 2015. In 2014, he was appointed by North Carolina's Governor as one of North Carolina's Special Superior Court Judges. He also served as a District Court Judge in Judicial District 19A from October 2000 until January 2014.
As a District Court Judge, Judge McGee served on the Education Committee for the Association of District Court Judges and regularly taught continuing judicial and legal education courses. As a Superior Court Judge, he has held court in more than 40 counties. He has presided over various types of civil matters including being appointed by the Chief Justice to three three-judge panels to address constitutional challenges to laws passed by the General Assembly. He has also presided over criminal cases ranging from traffic infractions to murder.
Judge McGee has served or is serving on numerous statewide committees including the Chief Justice's Remote Proceedings Task Force (co-chair), the Juvenile Jurisdiction Advisory Committee (Raise the Age Committee), and the NC Trial Courts Time Standards Committee.
Prior to his service as a judge, Judge McGee represented people in courts ranging from Small Claims Court to the Supreme Court of the United States. He worked on four matters that were argued before the Supreme Court of the United States and sat second-chair in one of those cases.
Judge McGee is a graduate of the University of North Carolina, Wake Forest University School of Law, and is attending Duke University School of Law as a 2025 LLM candidate.
Nichole P. McLaughlin is a staff attorney with the North Carolina State Bar in Raleigh. As Assistant Ethics Counsel, she gives informal ethics advice to lawyers about their own future conduct via telephone or email, prepares formal ethics opinions and advises the Ethics Committee. She is also the Judicial District Bar Liaison, a role created to improve communication between the State Bar and judicial district bars.
Prior to joining the State Bar, Nichole was in private practice for five years with Donaldson & Black PA in Greensboro and handled asbestos workers' comp cases.
Originally from New Jersey, Nichole graduated from Drew University with a B.A. in English. She earned her J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law.
Click here for more information about Nichole.
Judge Ashleigh D. Parker is a District Court Judge in the 10th Judicial District, which encompasses Wake County. Prior to her appointment by Governor Roy Cooper in 2017, she served the citizens of North Carolina as an Assistant Attorney General at the North Carolina Department of Justice and as an Assistant District Attorney at the Wake County District Attorney's Office.
Judge Parker is passionate about increasing equity within the criminal justice system and educating our youth. She has written for multiple publications, including the North Carolina State Bar Journal, on topics related to racism, sexism, and natural hair within the legal profession. Additionally, she has held numerous leadership positions in her profession and is currently Vice Chair of the NC State Bar CLE Committee and Immediate Past-President of the 10th Judicial District Bar and Wake County Bar Association where she is the first African American female to be President of both bars and the youngest ever. She previously served as President of the NCCU Law Alumni Association.
Judge Parker serves as the lead Child Support Judge in Wake County and one of two Abuse, Neglect, and Dependency Judges. Most recently, she is also the Co-Founder of the Wake County Legal Support Center which opened on January 9, 2023. This Center provides free legal information for individuals who wish to represent themselves with domestic and housing issues.
Judge Parker earned her B.A. in Psychology from Wake Forest University and her J.D., cum laude, from North Carolina Central University School of Law.
Alyssa Pearce is a cybersecurity and data privacy attorney with Constangy Brooks Smith & Prophete LLP in Raleigh. As a member of the Constangy Cyber Team, she advises clients on the development of policies and procedures for data privacy and security, organizational risk management, and compliance programs, including HIPAA and the CCPA. She also assists clients with data security incidents across the response lifecycle, including coordinating external forensic investigations, conducting analyses of legal obligations resulting from an incident, and facilitating consumer and regulatory notifications.
Alyssa earned her B.A. in History from Binghamton University and her J.D. from William & Mary Law School.
At William & Mary Law School, Alyssa concentrated on issues where privacy, security, and business intersect. She interned at a major tech company, held a fellowship at the Center for Legal & Court Technology, and mentored undergraduate student teams prototyping cybersecurity solutions.
Click here for more information about Alyssa.
Josh Rowland is Director of Privacy at Fidelity Investments in Durham. His team is responsible for leading an organization that ensures U.S. federal, state, and international privacy compliance in a highly regulated and complex business environment while supporting Fidelity's business objectives and growth. This includes regulations governing the collection, use, disclosure, and protection of client, customer, and prospect personal information.
Josh earned his B.A. in Sociology from the University of New Hampshire and his J.D., cum laude, from North Carolina Central University School of Law.
Click here for more information about Josh.
Catherine Sanders Reach is Director for the Center for Practice Management at the North Carolina Bar Association, providing practice technology and management assistance to lawyers and legal professionals. Formerly she was Director, Law Practice Management and Technology for the Chicago Bar Association and the Director at the American Bar Association's Legal Technology Resource Center.
Prior to her work at the NCBA, CBA and ABA she worked in library and information science environments for a number of years, working at Ross and Hardies as a librarian. She received a master's degree in Library and Information Studies from the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa in 1997.
Catherine's professional activities include articles published in Law Practice magazine, Law Technology News and GPSolo Magazine, as well as numerous other publications. She has given presentations on the use of technology in law firms for national bar conferences, state and local bar associations and organizations such as the National Association of Bar Council and the Association of American Law Schools. In 2011 she was selected to be one of the inaugural Fastcase 50, celebrating fifty innovators, techies, visionaries, and leaders in the field of law and in 2013 became a Fellow of the College of Law Practice Management. She served on the ABA TECHSHOW Board from 2007-2009, 2014-2016 and is co-vice chair in 2019.
Click here for more information about Catherine. Connect with her on Twitter and LinkedIn.
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