Teaching Method & Class Policies

Attendance

Class attendance is required.¹ Class starts on time. Don’t be late. Arrive early and use the time before class starts to get settled so that you are ready to take notes and answer questions.

If illness or exigent circumstances prevent you from being able to attend class, you must email me or contact the Office of Student Affairs at studentaffairs@lls.edu.

Preparation & Participation

Class preparation is also required. I expect that you will come to class having completed the reading and ready to speak about the materials assigned for that day.

Generative AI Policy

For the final papers and presentations, students may use generative AI tools as a research assistant. Students should not rely on generative AI outputs as a substitute for their own thinking and analysis. Students are expected to engage critically with these tools and remain responsible for their work in its entirety, including any AI-generated content.

Students who use generative AI should include a short reflection statement of 500 words or less as an addendum to their final paper. The reflection statement should address how the student engaged with generative AI for this assignment and how this experience has shaped their thinking about generative AI and law. Students do not need to disclose specific prompts or transcripts of their interactions with AI tools. Students should not use generative AI to assist with writing this reflection statement. If students work in pairs or groups for the final paper and presentation, each student should submit their own reflection statement that addresses their individual engagement with generative AI for the assignment.

Classroom Norms

To foster an environment that supports curious critical thinking, our class has a set of norms that I ask you each to follow.

Professionalism
Law school is a professional environment. Your classmates are your future colleagues, co-counsel, judges and policymakers. You should treat law school as the beginning of a professional career rather than as an extension of college.

Professionalism and ethical conduct are central to the practice of law, and thus to legal education. We will cover topics in this course that are sensitive and may have personal and significant implications for any one of us in the class, for our families and for others we hold dear. All communication for the course is expected to be professional, respectful, and on topic. For the reasons explained here, I ask that you address me as “Professor” or “Professor Doyle.”

Generosity
We should all strive to be good listeners and to be respectful of different viewpoints. Being respectful does not mean that we should hold back from critiquing others’ views, but it does require us to be be generous in how we interpret and respond to others. Particularly when disagreeing with an argument that someone else has made, try to address the strongest version of their argument. If a statement is made that offends you or that you think might offend others, do challenge it; but show respect for the person who made it. Remember, we all make mistakes sometimes in our speaking and listening.

In this classroom, we disagree with ideas, not with people. When a disagreement targets a person, it often causes that person to become defensive and unreceptive to the point being made. But when a disagreement targets an idea, it allows the person who initially voiced that idea the space to consider the point being made and gives them the opportunity to change their mind.

This year, I hope that each of us — myself included — has the opportunity to be wrong. The luxury of an academic environment is that it is a retreat from the demands of the world and is a safe space for reconsidering what we have taken for granted or assumed to be true. Our classroom should be a supportive space where our ideas, preconceptions, and convictions are open to challenge and critique. Let’s be curious together.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

• Articulate the major ethical, professional, and social issues raised by the use of generative AI in the legal profession and in society more broadly.
• Critically analyze the benefits and risks of generative AI tools in various legal contexts.
• Conduct independent research on topics related to generative AI and law, including experimental methods for testing the performance of generative AI tools.
• Communicate complex ideas about generative AI and law effectively in both written and oral formats.

Reasonable Accommodations

Loyola Law School adheres to a policy of nondiscrimination in its educational programs, admissions policies, financial aid, and other school-related programs on the basis of sex, age, race, color, religious creed, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, marital, parental or veteran status. The Law School complies fully with the provisions of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and related administrative regulations and executive orders promulgated thereunder.

Students in need of reasonable accommodations may review the application guidelines and appeals process here. For additional information, you may contact Student Accessibility Services (SAS) in the Office of Student Affairs at accessibility@lls.edu or 213-736-8151.

Interpersonal Misconduct

Loyola Law School is dedicated to fostering the education of the whole person and strives to provide an environment that encourages the search for truth and freedom of inquiry. The Law School recognizes the important contribution a diverse community of students, faculty and staff makes towards the advancement of its goals and ideals. The Law School is committed to providing an environment that is free of discrimination and harassment as defined by federal, state and local law, as well as under this policy. Any violations of this policy will be treated as serious misconduct and result in appropriate disciplinary action up to and including dismissal from the Law School.

As responsible employees, faculty are required to report any case of suspected sexual or interpersonal misconduct and cannot protect student confidentiality. For information about confidential counseling on campus and for general information about consensual relationships, sexual harassment and sexual assault, please review the following information on the Office of Student Affairs webpage: Student-on-Student Sexual Misconduct & Interpersonal Conduct Policy & Protocol; LLS & Community Sexual Assault & Interpersonal Misconduct Resource Contact List; & Project Callisto.