University of Chicago Law School Bans Laptops for First-Year Students to Build AI-Resilient Legal Education

Summary

The University of Chicago Law School has announced a ban on laptops, smartphones, and other electronic devices for first-year students starting in the 2026-2027 academic year as part of a new 'AI-resilient pedagogy' strategy. The policy aims to ensure students develop critical thinking, strategic reasoning, and independent analysis skills without relying on generative AI tools. In-class examinations will also be conducted without internet access, electronic files, or apps.

The ban reflects escalating concerns about artificial intelligence's impact on legal education and professional practice. Research from the AI Exposure Index found that 100% of legal occupations face 'high exposure' to AI automation, meaning most cognitive tasks can now be performed by AI systems. The law school's strategy acknowledges that AI is already pervasive in legal practice but emphasizes the need for lawyers who can deploy these tools 'responsibly, effectively, and ethically.' The school has committed to reviewing and revising its policies as technology and the legal profession evolve.

• Law school acknowledges AI is unavoidable in legal practice but wants lawyers trained to deploy it strategically and ethically
• Policy reflects broader education sector response to generative AI's disruption of student learning

Editorial Opinion

University of Chicago's device ban is a bold statement about legal education's AI reckoning, but it's ultimately a partial solution to a deeper problem. While removing classroom distractions may sharpen focus on critical thinking, the policy risks graduating lawyers unprepared for a profession increasingly built on AI competence. The stronger move would pair device-free learning environments with rigorous AI literacy training—teaching students both how to think independently and how to deploy AI tools responsibly. Avoidance is not strategy; mastery is.