Criminal Law Library BlogDavid G. Badertscher
“Every generation of legal researchers inherits new tools. Their enduring responsibility is to learn how to use them wisely.”
Introduction
Articles Posted in Legal Profession
Kilpatrick Launches AI Lab: A Glimpse into the Future of Legal Innovation
Artificial intelligence is rapidly moving beyond experimentation in the legal profession and becoming embedded in the day-to-day operations of leading law firms. The latest example comes from Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP, which has announced the creation of an AI Lab dedicated to developing customized AI solutions for both its internal staff and its clients. The initiative reflects a growing recognition that off the shelf AI tools may not always address the specialized needs of legal practice, prompting firms to invest in tailored applications designed to enhance efficiency, knowledge management, client service, and legal workflows.
The establishment of a dedicated AI Lab also signals a broader shift occurring throughout the legal industry. Rather than viewing artificial intelligence solely as a productivity tool, many firms are beginning to treat AI as a strategic capability that can differentiate their services and strengthen client relationships. By bringing lawyers, technologists, and innovation professionals together in a structured development environment, firms hope to create practical solutions that address real world legal challenges while maintaining the professional standards, confidentiality requirements, and ethical obligations unique to the practice of law.
Kilpatrick’s initiative offers an opportunity to examine how law firms are evolving from consumers of legal technology to active developers of AI enabled services. It also raises important questions about the future role of lawyers, the increasing demand for legal technology expertise, and the ways in which artificial intelligence may reshape the delivery of legal services in the years ahead.
When Leaders Become Saviors: The Rise of Messianic Leadership in Authoritarian Systems
Introduction
The purpose of this essay is not to criticize leadership itself. Every society requires leaders. Effective leadership can inspire, unify, and guide communities through difficult circumstances. Rather, the focus here is on a recurring historical phenomenon: the tendency of some societies to elevate leaders into figures of redemption and the tendency of some leaders to embrace that role.
Temptation of Political Salvation
Why Kurt Godel’s Warning Should Matter Today
I have chosen to write about this remarkably rich topic because it sits at the intersection of constitutional law, political theory, logic, and history, precisely the kind of issue that invites thoughtful discussion among lawyers, judges, scholars, and legal information professionals.
Although Kurt Gödel never publicly explained the precise “proof” he believed he had discovered, scholars, constitutional theorists, historians, and legal commentators have spent decades trying to reconstruct what he meant when he warned that the U.S. Constitution could legally evolve into a dictatorship.
The story itself is well documented. While preparing for his U.S. citizenship examination in 1947, Gödel intensely studied American constitutional law. According to his friend Oskar Morgenstern, Gödel became alarmed after concluding that there was an “inner contradiction” in the Constitution that could permit a democratic republic to transform legally into an authoritarian regime.
From Bucket List to Agentic AI: Inside the April/May Issue of Experience Magazine
OVERVIEW:
The April/May 2026 issue of the American Bar Association Senior Lawyers Division’s Experience Magazine (Volume 36, Issue 3) centers on a unifying and reflective theme: the meaning of the “bucket list” at different stages of life and professional maturity. The issue combines personal essays, reflections on retirement and reinvention, practical professional guidance, and a timely discussion of artificial intelligence in legal practice.
A major theme running throughout the issue is that fulfillment in later life is not necessarily tied to grand adventures or dramatic achievements, but often to purpose, service, mentoring, and appreciation for experiences already gained. Several contributors challenge the traditional notion of a “bucket list” as merely a checklist of destinations or accomplishments. Instead, they encourage readers—particularly senior lawyers—to think about meaning, contribution, relationships, and continued intellectual engagement.
Interpretability and Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG): How They are Reshaping AI Legal Research
Artificial intelligence is now woven into the daily fabric of legal work. From case law research to contract analysis and compliance monitoring, AI systems are accelerating tasks that once required hours of manual review. But as these tools become more capable, the legal profession faces a central challenge: How can lawyers trust AI in high‑stakes environments where accuracy, transparency, and defensibility are non‑negotiable?
Two concepts have emerged as foundational to answering that question: interpretability and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG). While distinct, they work together to create AI systems that are transparent, grounded in evidence, and aligned with professional legal standards. Although both have existed for some time, their integration into legal research remains in its infancy, and there is much to learn. This post explores how these systems are reshaping AI legal research based on a review of current industry sources.
Understanding Interpretability in Legal AI
Selected Law.com Alerts, April 9-14, 2026
This new series on the Criminal Law Library Blog, Selected Law.com Alerts, curates and organizes notable legal developments drawn from Law.com’s daily alerts, with each post identified by date (e.g., Selected Law.com Alerts, April 14, 2026) and structured by topic for ease of reference. These entries are intended to highlight key issues, trends, and cases of interest to readers. Please note that while summaries and references are provided, access to the full text of articles cited from Law.com requires an active subscription to that service.
Fostering Stability in Aging Iniative
The “Fostering Stability in Aging” initiative, led by the ABA Commission on Law and Aging and the Commission on Homelessness and Poverty, is a specialized resource hub and advocacy effort. It aims to prevent homelessness and poverty among older adults by supporting legal professionals with research and tools to enhance access to housing, healthcare, and services….Across the country, older adults are the fastest-growing population facing housing instability and homelessness. Rising housing costs, fixed incomes, health challenges, caregiving burdens and increasing vulnerability to fraud are converging to create a crisis that is both urgent and, too often, unseen.
The American Bar Association Senior Lawyers Division (SLD), in partnership with the ABA Commission on Law and Aging and the ABA Commission on Homelessness and Poverty, is stepping forward with a coordinated, national response:
The Fostering Stability in Aging Initiative is designed to mobilize the legal profession—particularly experienced lawyers – to deliver practical, measurable solutions. It will:
Why Lawyers (And Law Librarians) Should Care About Metaphysics
Metaphysics is often described as the branch of philosophy that asks the most fundamental question of all: what is real? It explores the nature of existence, identity, causation, and the structure of reality itself. While this may sound abstract, metaphysics is far from remote. In practice, it quietly shapes the assumptions underlying every legal system and every act of legal research.
From the time of Aristotle and Plato, metaphysics has served as the foundation of traditional philosophy. It provides the conceptual framework within which other fields, knowledge, reasoning, and ethics, operate. In law, that framework is not theoretical; it is embedded in doctrine, interpretation, and everyday practice.
Consider a few familiar legal questions:
Overview: ABA Legal Tech Newsletter (March 25, 2027)
The March 25, 2026 edition of the ABA Legal Tech Newsletter arrives at a pivotal moment for the legal profession, coinciding with the opening of ABA TECHSHOW 2026, the American Bar Association’s flagship legal technology conference. The newsletter reflects a profession that has moved decisively beyond experimentation with technology and into a phase of strategic integration, governance, and long-term transformation.
1. From AI Adoption to AI Maturity
A central theme is the profession’s rapid transition from initial adoption of artificial intelligence to operational mastery. Over the past year, AI has become embedded in daily legal workflows—impacting research, drafting, case management, and client service. The newsletter emphasizes that the key challenge is no longer whether to adopt AI, but how to manage it responsibly, including training, oversight, and measurable value.