In October, WashU Law hosted a panel discussion titled “Expanding Legal Enterprise with AI” as part of Legal Tech Weeks. Moderated by Dean Stefanie Lindquist, the conversation brought together leaders in law, technology, and education to explore how emerging tools are reshaping legal practice and legal education.
The panel featured Professor Zoe Niesel from Joseph F. Rice School of Law, Christian Puzder, CEO of Casefriend, and Adam Simon, JD ‘15, partner at Dowd Bennett. Together, they discussed how new technologies are changing the way lawyers work, and how law schools can best prepare students for this evolving landscape.
Dean Lindquist opened the event by emphasizing the importance of collaboration between educators and practitioners. “We need to be talking with those in practice about what we should be doing to educate our students and prepare them for the new landscape of legal work,” she said.
Puzder reflected on the challenges young attorneys face in adapting to new tools, comparing the shift to the early adoption of online legal research. “At first, lawyers struggled to move from books to Westlaw or Lexis,” he said. “Now, it’s second nature. The next step is helping law students understand how to use new technologies effectively and responsibly.”
Simon highlighted how technological literacy is quickly becoming a necessity in law firms. “There’s going to come a point where using these tools will be as fundamental as using Westlaw,” he noted. “Clients are increasingly aware of what technology can do, and they expect firms to use it efficiently.”
From the classroom perspective, Niesel described how she integrates emerging tools into her course, “Drafting with Generative Tools,” focusing on three key areas: understanding how the tools function, recognizing ethical considerations, and applying them in practical use cases. “My goal isn’t to train students on a single product,” she said, “but to help them think creatively about where technology can add value and how to evaluate tools responsibly.”
The panel also discussed how law schools can balance innovation with foundational skills. Simon and Niesel both stressed the continued importance of writing, editing, and critical analysis, even as technology assists with early drafting and research. “The tools can help you start,” said Simon, “but the best lawyers will distinguish themselves through the nuance and strategy that only come from human judgment.”
The discussion concluded with a call to action for educators and practitioners alike: to ensure that the next generation of lawyers not only understands new technologies but also leads in shaping how they’re used across the legal profession.
Watch the full discussion here.
