Level 1 · 6 weeks · 100% online

Foundations of AI for Legal Professionals

Understand how legal AI really works — and how to use it responsibly.

Level One · 100% online · 6 weeks · completed with a live oral defense.

Foundations is where every Lawnova path begins. You’ll learn what large language models actually are, how to prompt them for legal work, why verified-source retrieval matters, and how the ABA Model Rules govern every use of AI in practice. By the end you’ll carry a responsible-use workflow into daily practice and pass a final exam plus a live oral defense.

No prerequisites. Designed for practicing attorneys, law students, paralegals, and legal-operations staff who want to use AI competently and safely.

What you'll study

Week 1

What AI and Large Language Models Actually Are

How modern legal AI works under the hood — and why that shapes everything.

Week 2

Prompting for Legal Work

Turning vague requests into structured instructions that produce useful drafts.

Week 3

Grounding, Retrieval, and Verified Sources (RAG)

How trustworthy legal AI tools anchor answers in real authority.

Week 4

The Hallucination Problem — and the Mata v. Avianca Lesson

Why fabricated citations end careers, and the verification discipline that prevents them.

Week 5

Professional Responsibility and AI

The ABA Model Rules that govern every use of AI in practice.

Week 6

Bias, Fairness, and Building Your Responsible-Use Workflow

Algorithmic bias, the Loomis lesson, and a personal checklist you'll use daily.

Completion requires finishing all modules and passing the final exam (70%+), followed by a live oral defense with faculty.