AI for Lawyers: Communication and Creativity

Patrick Barry

Clinical Assistant Professor of Law

Michigan Law School

Patrick Barry is a clinical assistant professor of law and the director of digital academic initiatives at the University of Michigan Law School and a visiting lecturer at the University of Chicago Law School and the UCLA School of Law. His research focuses on persuasion, creativity, team dynamics, and artificial intelligence. Among his teaching awards are the Wayne Booth Prize for Excellence in Teaching, the Provost’s Innovation in Teaching Prize, and the Outstanding Research Mentor Award. In addition, he has been selected as a faculty fellow by the Center for Educational Outreach, a Public Engagement Fellow by the Center for Academic Innovation, and the winner of an Arts & Curriculum grant from the Arts Initiative. An All-American soccer player in college, Barry studied the theatrical aspects of Supreme Court confirmation hearings while earning both a PhD in English and a JD. During that time, he also helped create Clinnect, a global network of legal clinics devoted to combating human trafficking. Barry is the author of 11 books—including Good with Words: Writing and Editing, Good with Words: Speaking and Presenting, Feedback Loops: How to Give and Receive High-Quality Feedback, and The Syntax of Sports. He also has created several online courses for the educational platforms Coursera and Michigan Online and regularly collaborates with the Child Advocacy Law Clinic, the Veterans Legal Clinic, and the Community Enterprise Clinic, as well as with various law firms, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations. He is a member of the California Bar.