King's, City, BPP: UK Law Schools Adopt Legora AI for Curricula

• On October 2, 2026, King's College London, City Law School, and BPP Law School became the first UK institutions to partner with the legal AI tool Legora.
• Students will use Legora for professional legal training and in pro bono clinics, assisting with research, review, and drafting.
• The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) issued a warning in August about generative AI, stressing solicitor responsibility, hallucination risks, and privilege waiver concerns.
• Legora stated that AI literacy is transitioning from an elective skill to a professional obligation for law schools.
• This collaboration prepares future lawyers with direct training in AI tools, making AI literacy a critical professional skill for the evolving legal landscape.

This integration underscores a growing recognition within legal education that proficiency with artificial intelligence tools is no longer optional but a fundamental requirement for future legal professionals.

On October 2, 2026, a significant development in legal education unfolded as King's College London, City Law School, and BPP Law School announced their collaboration with Legora, a prominent legal AI tool. This partnership marks the first instance of UK law schools adopting Legora, integrating the same advanced platform utilized by law firms globally directly into their curricula. Students at these institutions will now engage with Legora for a diverse range of applications, spanning from intensive professional legal training to practical work conducted within pro bono clinics.

This move positions these UK law schools among the pioneering institutions outside the United States to incorporate Legora into their educational offerings. Previously, Legora had established partnerships with nine US law schools, including prestigious names such as Stanford, Northwestern, and the University of Chicago. The expansion into the UK underscores a growing global trend towards embedding artificial intelligence within legal academic frameworks, preparing students for an evolving professional landscape.

The integration of AI tools like Legora into legal education comes against a backdrop of increasing regulatory scrutiny. In August, prior to this announcement, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) issued a formal warning notice concerning the use of generative AI. The SRA's guidance emphasized that solicitors retain ultimate responsibility for their work, even when assisted by AI, and highlighted critical risks such as AI 'hallucinations' producing inaccurate information. Furthermore, the SRA cautioned against the potential waiver of legal privilege if confidential documents are uploaded to open-source AI platforms.

Responding to these concerns, Legora, in its press release regarding the new collaborations, articulated a clear stance: "For law schools, AI literacy is becoming less elective and more of a professional obligation." This statement reflects a broader recognition within the legal sector that understanding and responsibly utilizing AI is no longer an optional skill but a fundamental requirement for future legal professionals. This integration underscores a growing recognition within legal education that proficiency with artificial intelligence tools is no longer optional but a fundamental requirement for future legal professionals.

The three UK law schools are implementing Legora with distinct, yet complementary, educational objectives. BPP Law School's primary focus will be on equipping students with the skills to effectively leverage AI in professional legal practice. Jo-Anne Pugh, Dean of BPP Law School, expressed enthusiasm for adding Legora to their suite of AI tools, aiming to enhance students' professional capabilities and ensure they are 'desk-ready' for the rapid AI transformation occurring in modern legal practice.

Meanwhile, King's College London Legora and City Law School Legora will primarily deploy the AI tool within their pro bono clinics. Here, students will utilize Legora to assist real individuals facing complex legal challenges across various domains, including employment, housing, personal injury, and criminal appellate issues. The AI will support students in critical tasks such as legal research, document review, and drafting. Professor Dan Hunter, Executive Dean of the Dickson Poon School of Law at King's College London, highlighted the dual benefit of this initiative, noting that it not only aids underserved communities but also teaches students to navigate and control their careers in an AI-driven profession. Sally Gill, Director of the City Community Legal Advice Centre at The City Law School, further emphasized the importance of developing judgment, questioning AI outputs, and understanding when and how to apply the technology responsibly, skills she deems crucial for students entering a profession where AI is becoming an everyday practice.

Lawyers and compliance officers should note that future legal professionals will be entering the workforce with direct training in AI tools like Legora, making AI literacy an increasingly critical professional skill. Furthermore, the SRA's warning regarding AI use (responsibility, hallucinations, privilege waiver) remains highly relevant for all practitioners, even as AI integration into legal practice accelerates.

Source: Original reporting via Legal Cheek