Six OU Law students traveled to Chicago in March to attend the American Bar Association’s annual TECHSHOW conference. From AI ethics and Microsoft Word deep-dives to courtroom speculation and career-defining conversations, the experience left each student with a renewed sense of what it means to be a lawyer in 2026.
The conference wasted no time making its central theme clear: artificial intelligence is no longer on the horizon, it's already here. 2L Paige Dibble arrived curious and left energized. "Hearing that attorney AI usage has more than doubled in just one year reinforced how critical it is for law students and attorneys to understand how to utilize these tools in both an advantageous and ethical way," she said. Fellow 2L Reece Carmen echoed that urgency, noting, "Tech competence isn't optional, and keeping up with advances in technology is part of being a good lawyer."
But TECHSHOW was also about understanding the limits of AI. Dibble appreciated that the conference confronted hallucinated case citations and data privacy concerns head-on. 2L Evan Loosen added, "Hearing from speakers like legal analyst Jordan Furlong and tech CEO Nilay Patel on the future of AI and its intersection with the legal industry pushed me to seriously reconsider my own career trajectory," he said.
A recurring theme across sessions was the question of how legal education itself must evolve. The opening keynote made a particular impression on 2L Riley Orr, who said, "Training students to work with AI, or, more radically, changing the way we structure law school, would both help future lawyers find jobs in a shrinking marketplace." It was a challenge issued directly to the next generation, and one these students clearly took seriously.
For 3L Grace Griggs, one of the most practical takeaways came from a session on Microsoft Word. "Knowing Word at a surface level isn't enough," she observed, noting that she applied the lessons almost immediately to fix formatting issues in a multi-author Oil & Gas agreement. Meanwhile, TALIS President Michael Johnson, also a 3L, found himself captivated by the bigger-picture questions the conference inspired, like whether Apple Vision Pro technology could one day allow jurors to virtually tour a crime scene. As he put it, "ABA TECHSHOW is a great opportunity to fill your mind with all sorts of questions that must be answered by lawyers and the court systems, perhaps sooner rather than later."
Beyond the sessions, the students agreed that the conference's real magic happened in the hallways and after-hours events. Loosen noted that partners like Jordan Couch and Greg Siskind were candid and generous with their time. "For any students who are curious about legal tech or thinking about starting their own practice, I can't recommend it enough," he said.
From the Bean and the Art Institute of Chicago to the after-hour celebration along the Chicago River and dinners at local gems, the students experienced all the city had to offer. As they returned home, they seemed both excited and curious about the future of the profession. And, thanks to the TECHSHOW, they also feel better prepared for what’s to come.