Cleveland State University’s College of Law has launched a new artificial intelligence training program, “Fundamentals of Prompt Engineering for Lawyers,” aimed at preparing law students for the rapidly evolving realities of modern legal practice, where AI tools are becoming increasingly common.

The online certificate program, developed in partnership with experiential legal training platform AltaClaro, introduces students to the fundamentals of prompt engineering and the responsible use of AI in legal work. 

Designed as a short, accessible course,  the training combines online instructional materials students do in their own time with a live session led by a practicing attorney experienced in AI-assisted legal practice.

“We wanted to find a solution that we can provide to all students to give them a baseline, and that's what the AltaClaro program does,” said Brian Ray, co-interim dean of CSU’s College of Law. “It's just one piece of a broader strategy.”

Ray added that part of the challenge has been helping students feel confident using AI tools appropriately within academic guidelines. 

“After the orientation where we explained it to the first group, several students emailed me and thanked me for giving them access to this,” Ray said. “Because one of the issues we're seeing is students are a little afraid to use it.”

The American Bar Association has guidelines for AI use. But with students remaining cautious about using AI, particularly around what is permitted for coursework, CSU's law school is working to clarify how the tools can support learning while upholding academic integrity. This has prompted ongoing education for both students and faculty on responsible, transparent use in academic settings.

“What we emphasize to students is you can use it to prepare and help yourself understand the concepts,” Ray said. “There's an education that we're undergoing on both sides, with faculty beginning to understand more about how these tools could be used appropriately, to allow students to learn themselves the subject matter.”

The certificate program is optional and is open to all CSU|LAW students and will be offered three times during the academic year. The first session began in January, with additional sessions planned for spring break and early summer. More than 130 students enrolled during the program’s initial rollout.

The course takes about  4-6 hours to complete. Upon completion, students receive an AltaClaro-issued certificate that can be listed on professional profiles, highlighting training in prompt engineering and AI-supported legal workflows.

“The first group has finished and we plan to offer it again around spring break,” Ray said. “It’s a very compact, very accessible training program”

Moving forward, CSU College of Law plans to expand its approach to artificial intelligence training as the technology continues to shape the legal profession. Ray and other faculty members are exploring how the training could be more deeply embedded into the curriculum, whether through required coursework, orientation programs or other training milestones before graduation.

“This is our first step, first piece of the strategy,” Ray said. “Our objective is to be able to tell all legal employers that our students, our graduates, come out trained and competent to use these tools effectively and responsibly.”