The program targets Reed Smith's partners specifically and integrates the firm's Emerging Technologies Group with Cornell's academic curriculum. The announcement came June 29, 2026. Details about enrollment numbers, specific curriculum modules, and program costs are not yet public.
For attorneys advising clients on AI adoption, this signals that major firms are formalizing AI competency as a baseline expectation. Partners at competing firms should assess whether their own AI knowledge meets client demands, particularly around governance and regulatory risk. The move also reflects growing recognition that AI legal issues require both technical literacy and ethical judgment—areas where many practitioners still lack formal training.