Overview
- University of Chicago Law School announced Thursday that it will pilot a ban on phones, tablets and laptops across all first-year (1L) sections in the 2026–2027 academic year.
- The classroom ban includes narrow exceptions for faculty‑designated classroom scribes, instructor-authorized tech activities, and students with documented disability accommodations.
- The law school will require students to write 1L assignments without AI while allowing AI for targeted tasks such as research, revision and oral-argument preparation, with faculty review of both drafts and AI use.
- Assessment changes include in-person proctored exams that block internet access and mandatory oral defenses for major research papers so students must explain and defend their work without relying on technology.
- The policy pairs the restrictions with expanded AI instruction, clinics and access to legal AI tools like Harvey and Legora, and school leaders say the package will be reviewed over time as technology and practice evolve.