Thursday, July 9, 10:00 a.m.–1:15 p.m. ET
This program was also presented on April 8, 2026.
| MCLE Credit: | 3.0 (Ethics: 1.0) |
| Live-Interactive Credit: | 3.0 |
Artificial intelligence is transforming legal practice, but most attorneys are utilizing it without truly understanding its implications. This course goes beyond the basics to give you the information you need to use AI effectively and safely, from tactical to practical. You will learn how AI systems are trained, what optimization means, and why these systems are designed to produce confident, plausible responses rather than accurate ones. When you understand this technology, you can anticipate its failures instead of being surprised by them.
This program will also address a risk that few are talking about: cognitive security. AI tools are optimized to be agreeable and helpful, which means they are inclined to reinforce your arguments rather than challenge them. Learn to recognize when AI is telling you what you want to hear and develop strategies to maintain the independent professional judgment your clients deserve.
The program will also give you practical skills on prompt engineering through demonstrations and help you create an implementation and training plan for integrating AI in your firm.
Registration Deadlines:
| Webcast: | 10 minutes prior to the seminar. If you register for a webcast the day of the seminar, your e-mail receipt will include a link to launch the seminar and download the materials. |
Cancellation Policy: Cancellation/transfer requests will be honored until 5:00 p.m. the day preceding the seminar. You will, however, be charged $60 if you cancel or transfer your registration to a different seminar after the link to the materials has been e-mailed by Virginia CLE®.
Full refunds or transfers are available up to two days after a webcast in the unlikely event that you experience technical difficulties.
MCLE Credit Caveat: The MCLE Board measures credits by the time you spend in attendance. If you enter a seminar late or leave it early, or both, you must reflect those adjustments accurately in the credits you report on your credit reporting form. A code will be given at the end of the seminar, which must be written on your MCLE form.
Private recording of this program is prohibited.
Can’t Attend?
E-mail distance_ed@vacle.org to be notified when/if this program is made available as an online or USB seminar.
E-mail publications@vacle.org to be notified when/if this program’s seminar materials are made available for sale.
| 10:00 | The Essential Guide to AI in the Law Firm Hour 1
Hour 2
Hour 3
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| 1:15 | Adjourn |
Thomas M. Dunlap, Dunlap Bennett & Ludwig PLLC / Leesburg
Josh Fairfield, The University of Washington & Lee School of Law / Lexington
Addison Gills, The University of Washington & Lee School of Law, Class of 2027 / Lexington
Thomas M. Dunlap, Dunlap Bennett & Ludwig PLLC / Leesburg
Thomas M. Dunlap, JD, MBA, MS Biotechnology, CPVA, is a founding partner of Dunlap Bennett & Ludwig and a founding principal of Lexicaliti AI. He is a lawyer, educator, entrepreneur, and inventor whose work focuses on intellectual property, litigation, government contracts, artificial intelligence, and technology-driven business strategy. He has represented clients in state and federal courts in trials, injunction proceedings, dispositive motions, and appeals.
Mr. Dunlap is an adjunct professor at Washington and Lee University School of Law and Lafayette College, and he has taught and spoken for more than twenty-five years on intellectual property, litigation, and emerging technology. He is also the founder and host of the Blackletter Podcast, an Apple Podcasts show featuring discussions with lawyers, business leaders, and other professionals on practical legal and business issues.
Before returning to full-time legal leadership, Mr. Dunlap founded and led Ceres Nanosciences, a biotechnology company built around patented innovations and grant-supported product development. He is a former U.S. Army officer, a recognized author and CLE speaker, and has been honored by WTR 1000 and Super Lawyers.
Josh Fairfield, Washington & Lee University / Lexington
Josh Fairfield is a law professor, technology law expert, and AI Director at Washington & Lee University in Lexington, Virginia. He is an author of two books on the intersection of law and technology, including Runaway Technology: Can Law Keep Up?, and is working on his third book. Mr. Fairfield is fascinated by the impacts of technology on human systems, especially our social systems, and is convinced that the rule of law is a critical tool for limiting the damage that comes from letting technology run unchecked. He is a passionate opponent of the use of technology for surveillance and oppression.
