Law Review Symposium

1. Christos Strubakos – Assistant Professor of Law, University of Detroit Mercy School of Law
2. Kipp Coddington – Professor of Practice, University of Wyoming College of Law
3. Lindsey Mead – Associate Attorney, Foster, Swift, Collins, and Smith, P.C

Moderator: Andrew Moore, Professor of Law, University of Detroit Mercy School of Law

1. Christopher Trudeau – Associate Professor of Law, University of Detroit Mercy School of Law
2. Enrico Schaefer – Founding Partner, Traverse Legal, PLC
3. William L. Orlewicz – Principal, Relic Law PLLC

Moderator: Paula Manning, Associate Dean, Student Learning and Assessment & Professor of Law, University of Detroit Mercy School of Law

1. Paul Connell – Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin Law School
2. David Lourie – Assistant Professor of Law, University of Detroit Mercy School of Law
3. Young Basile Hanlon and MacFarlane PC
   1. Denise M. Glassmeyer – Shareholder, Young Basile
   2. Heather Kleinhardt – Shareholder, Young Basile

Moderator: Tolulope Falokun, Assistant Professor of Law, University of Detroit Mercy School of Law

1. Lauren Willens – Senior Counsel, Henry Ford Health
2. Jeremy Rzepka – Counsel, Ford Motor Company
3. Kirsten Silwanowicz – Chief General Counsel, Detroit Housing Commission

Moderator: Julia Belian, Associate Professor of Law, University of Detroit Mercy School of Law

1. Jeffrey Ray – Commercial Arbitrator, American Arbitration Association
2. Jenna Ribbons – Partner and Mediator, Signature Solutions Group
3. JusticeTech Program
   1. Amy Schmitz – Professor of Law and Director of JusticeTech, Ohio State Moritz College of Law
   2. Mindy Yocum – JusticeTech Staff Attorney, Ohio State Moritz College of Law
   3. Ashley London – Associate Professor of Law, The Thomas R. Kline School of Law of Duquesne University

Moderator: Akunna Olumba, Assistant Professor of Law, University of Detroit Mercy School of Law

1. Emily Tait – Partner, Jones Day
2. Celeste Brecht - Partner, Jones Day

Moderator: Melissa Eckhause, Associate Professor of Law, University of Detroit Mercy School of Law

Presentation Title: From Gödel to Brains: Neuroscience, Artificial Intelligence, and the Art of Legal Reasoning

Christos Strubakos holds a PhD in neurophysiology from Wayne State University's School of Medicine and completed post-doctoral training in Clinical Neurology at Henry Ford Hospital. He earned a JD from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, where he joined the faculty as an Assistant Professor of Law in 2025, after working as a Research Attorney at the Michigan Court of Appeals. His research interests lie at the intersection of neuroscience, cognition, and the law.

Presentation Title: Of Moral Agency & Mens Rea: Is Human Law Equipped for AI That Reasons, Exhibits Intent, & Could Be Conscious

With an undergraduate degree in chemical engineering, Mr. Coddington is an attorney with broad corporate, litigation and regulatory private practice experience. He currently is Professor of Practice at the College of Law at the University of Wyoming (UW) and serves as the faculty director for: (1) the Energy, Environmental and Natural Resources Law Clinic; and (2) the Externship Program. He teaches AI & Internet Law, Administrative Law, Environmental Law, and related courses that typically have a technology or scientific angle. He is a member of the “AI Law Prof” Google Group.

Before joining UW in 2015, he practiced law in Washington, D.C. with international Big Law firms (Covington & Burling LLP; Ropes & Gray LLP; Alston & Bird LLP). For Alston & Bird, he relocated to London to help launch that firm’s UK office. Thereafter, he co-founded a boutique law firm and led its Washington, D.C. office. He has testified before Congress and state legislative bodies; advised governments, companies and non-profits; and served as an expert witness. He has a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Purdue University (1986; with Highest Distinction; Outstanding Senior Engineer; Tau Beta Pi; Mortar Board; President, Engineering Student Council) and a Juris Doctor from Georgetown University (1993; Magna Cum Laude; Order of the Coif).

Presentation Title: Beyond Innovation: Legal Ethics and the Boundaries of AI Use

Lindsey M. Mead is an Associate Attorney with Foster, Swift, Collins & Smith, P.C. in Lansing, Michigan. Lindsey is a member of the firm’s Business & Tax practice group, focusing her practice on business law, business contracts, intellectual property, and legal matters associated with business’ use of artificial intelligence (“AI”). She is also a member of Foster Swift’s mergers & acquisitions deal team.

Lindsey, along with a fellow business attorney, co-hosts a podcast titled Businesswomen Talking, which provides a platform for women entrepreneurs in the state of Michigan to share their stories as business owners and discuss a number of legal topics that can pose hinderances for women leaders such as succession planning, intellectual property protection, and entity selection & organization. Lindsey co-hosts quarterly networking coffee chats for women in the Lansing area through her ventures with the podcast, creating spaces for women in business to connect to other likeminded individuals.

Lindsey is a member of the State Bar of Michigan and the Ingham County Bar Association. She also serves as the Board of Leadership’s Membership Director for the Women Lawyers Association of Michigan for the Mid-Michigan Region. In addition to these affiliations, Lindsey is a member of Lansing’s local ATHENA WIN program and her alma mater’s alumni association, serving on the Saginaw Valley State University’s Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Through Foster Swift’s BizTech Law Blog, Lindsey has authored multiple articles on the ever-changing legal landscape related to artificial intelligence, including how the United States Copyright Office has handled works generated with artificial intelligence tools & technology and the latest updates related to the White House’s AI strategies, such as its executive orders & “America’s AI Action Plan”.

Lindsey serves on her firm’s AI Strategy Committee and AI Initiatives Committee, where she plays a key role in educating colleagues about the opportunities and challenges that AI presents in a legal environment. Through these committees, she helps guide discussions on how AI affects the firm’s clients and how AI tools can be ethically integrated within legal professionals’ practices.

Andrew Moore began teaching at Detroit Mercy Law in 1998. He is an expert in immigration law and international human rights law. In 2000, he founded the immigration law clinic at Detroit Mercy Law. Professor Moore served as the law school's Associate Dean for Academic Affairs from 2011-2013.

His scholarship focuses on the needs of immigrants, including articles on the intersection of criminal law and immigration law, refugee issues between the U.S. and Canada, widespread fraud in the provision of legal services and the need for improved mental health care for immigrants in the United States. He serves the mission of the law school by organizing the annual mass for judges and lawyers (Red Mass) and serves as moderator for the St. Thomas More Society.

Presentation Title: Ai-Assisted Legal Education: Teaching Law Students to Think Critically with AI

Christopher R. Trudeau is an Associate Professor of Law at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law whose work sits at the intersection of law, AI, and human judgment. He studies what happens to professional decision making when AI enters the workflow, where the real risks are not technical failures but misplaced trust and the erosion of responsibility. Drawing on more than two decades of experience in legal education, healthcare regulation, and plain-language research, he teaches and builds AI systems designed to support legal reasoning, not replace it. He explores these ideas publicly through Trudeau.ai, where he writes and experiments on how people think, learn, and decide in an AI-driven world.

Presentation Title: The New AI Elite: Building the Skills, Strategy, and Mindset to Lead the Future of Law

Enrico is a highly accomplished individual and trailblazer in the legal industry, particularly in the realm of technology for almost 30 years. As the founder of Traverse Legal PLC, a renowned law firm dedicated to representing technology companies, Enrico has played a pivotal role in shaping the legal landscape for innovative businesses. Enrico's expertise lies in navigating complex legal issues faced by technology companies. As outside general counsel for various organizations, Enrico offers strategic guidance on a wide range of legal matters.

Recognized as an authority in the legal industry, Enrico regularly shares his knowledge and insights regarding blockchain and artificial intelligence (“AI”). His articles and speeches cover a diverse range of legal issues that impact the tech sector, addressing topics such as data privacy, cybersecurity, and the legal implications of AI and blockchain technologies. Enrico hosts a popular podcast aimed at advising law firms and lawyers on the utilization of AI, specifically ChatGPT, and its impact on the business of law. To further disseminate his knowledge and insights, Enrico is currently in the process of writing a book titled "Surviving the AI Apocalypse: Preparing for the Future of Legal Practice" which delves into the transformative impact of AI on the legal profession. Enrico's contributions to the legal field, specifically in the areas of technology, intellectual property, and AI, have made him a respected figure in the industry.

Presentation Title: First and Second Order Effects of AI on Essential Lawyering

William Orlewicz is a 2011 graduate of University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. He is the founding Member of Relic Law PLLC, a boutique law firm established in 2018 to provide clients with multidisciplinary expertise in data privacy, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence. Named by Michigan Lawyer's Weekly as an Up & Coming Lawyer (2021), Will advises leading companies on the transformational technologies of our age.

Presentation Title: AI-Powered Empirical Research: Implications for Law and Practitioners

Paul is an assistant professor of law at University of Wisconsin Law School. His research focuses on law and economics and the use of AI for empirical social science. Before joining the University of Wisconsin, Paul completed a Ph.D. in economics at Columbia University. Prior to starting his economics Ph.D., Paul worked as a capital markets attorney in Davis Polk & Wardwell's New York office.

Presentation Title: The Impacts of AI-Assisted Research of Technically Dense Materials on Legal Decision Making

Denise Glassmeyer is the founder and co-director of the International Patent Law Clinic at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, a USPTO Certified teaching clinic. She is also a shareholder at Young Basile and is a registered patent attorney. Her practice involves white space analysis and development of foundational intellectual property for both start up and established business clients as well as IP asset management and monetization.

Ms. Glassmeyer is a past chair of the Intellectual Property Section of the State Bar of Michigan and is one of the founders of the SBM-IP Section Patent Pro Bono Project, where she serves on the Steering Committee, and was is one of the founding members and officers members of the Michigan IP Inns of Court. Ms. Glassmeyer holds a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry with minors in Mathematic and Economics from the University of Detroit where she studied as one of that institution’s Insignis Scholars. She holds a Juris Doctor, also from University of Detroit, where she served as a Moot Court Director and was inducted into the Order of the Barristers and was one of the founders of the St. Thomas More Society. Prior to entering the practice of law Ms. Glassmeyer worked as a research and analytical chemist where her efforts took her into some of the very earliest stages of data analytics to guide efforts in brownfield remediation and EPA Superfund compliance.

Presentation Title: The Impacts of AI-Assisted Research of Technically Dense Materials on Legal Decision Making

Heather Kleinhardt is a shareholder at Young Basile Hanlon & MacFarlane, P.C. and co-director of the International Patent Law Clinic at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. As a patent attorney, she takes a strategic approach to patent portfolio development. Her practice incorporates data analytic and competitive intelligence tools to help clients make informed decisions about their patent filings, monetization opportunities, and competitive positioning.

Before entering the legal profession, Ms. Kleinhardt worked extensively with legal technology systems in government settings. She was part of the team at the Michigan Legislative Service Bureau responsible for transitioning the State’s bill drafting process from a legacy mainframe system to Microsoft Word, which was a long-overdue modernization effort. She later worked on the information technology team at the Michigan Court of Appeals, which was nationally recognized in a case study by the National Center for State Courts for its innovative use of technology.

Ms. Kleinhardt later began her legal career at the Michigan Court of Appeals, first as a research attorney and later as Research Coordinator, where she served as the editor of the Michigan Appellate Digest. Her progression from implementing legal tools to using them in legal analysis informs her approach to AI-assisted legal research, particular how emerging tools shape what lawyers see, prioritize, and rely on when working with technically dense materials. Ms. Kleinhardt holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Arts, a Juris Doctor, and an LL.M. in Intellectual Property.

Presentation Title: Artificial Intelligence in Transactional Practice: Competence, Judgment, and the Future of Transactional Lawyering

Professor David Lourie is an Assistant Professor of Law at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. He primarily researches and teaches in the areas of Securities Regulation, Corporate Compliance, Private Equity, ESG, Contracts, and Commercial Law. He previously served as a Visiting Professor at Southern Illinois University School of Law, where he taught Contracts, Transactional Drafting, Commercial Law, Business Associations, and Securities Regulation. Professor Lourie has an extensive history both working in the corporate and securities private sector as well as teaching at several universities. He is currently researching and writing several manuscripts related to securities law compliance and SEC rulemaking and trends.

Professor Lourie has advised investment advisers, private equity firms, and hedge firms throughout the country on complex securities law matters. For several years, he was the Chief Compliance Officer of a successful private equity firm where he oversaw all the firm’s legal, compliance, and ESG matters. Prior to that for five years, he worked at a boutique securities compliance firm where he had national responsibility counseling investment advisers, private equity firms, and hedge funds regarding SEC examinations, SEC registration issues, SEC rule interpretation, annual reviews, risk assessments, and compliance policies and procedures. Professor Lourie also has extensive private sector experience in contracts and commercial law. He has negotiated and drafted sophisticated contracts with vendors, investors, consultants, senior advisers, and strategic partners.

Professor Lourie has utilized his expertise to teach at several universities and law schools. He has taught at the University of Southern California Law School, Northwestern University, Cornell University, and Western Colorado University.

He graduated cum laude from Northwestern University, earning a Bachelor of Arts in History with Departmental Honors. He received his J.D. from the University of Southern California Law School, where he served on the Southern California Law Review and graduated in the top 10% of his class. Following his graduation from law school, he served as a federal judicial law clerk to the Honorable Tu M. Pham in the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee.

When not practicing law, he enjoys reading, concerts, traveling, and spending time with family, and is an avid hiker and runner.

Professor Tolulope (Tolu) J. Falokun joined the university in 2024 as an Assistant Professor of Law. With a Master of Laws degree (LL.M.) from Harvard Law School and significant technology, business, and commercial law experience, her research and publications focus on the intersection of emerging technologies and the law, exploring blockchain, NFTs, AI, data privacy, and private international law. She has research experience at Harvard University and was a research associate for a law firm in Manhattan, a technology law intern for a non-profit organization in South Carolina, an associate (corporate, commercial, and technology law) for Templars Law in Lagos, Nigeria, and a pro bono counsel for the Justice Development and Peace Commission in Nigeria.

She graduated in 2017 from Obafemi Awolowo University in Nigeria, earning a Bachelor of Laws degree, and in 2018, she earned a Barrister-at-Law certificate from the Nigerian Law School, graduating in the top 1% of her class with First Class Honors. She also earned an Introductory Certificate in Arbitration from the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators in London.

She has presented her research at various conferences both within and outside the US, including at the Governance of Emerging Technologies and Science Conference (GETS) 2025, the Conflict of Laws Workshop (CLAW) 2025, the Southeastern Association of Law Schools (SEALS) Conference 2025, the Belmont Law Review Symposium 2025, the University of Windsor, Canada, Law & Entrepreneurship Conference 2025, the Mid-Atlantic Law & Society Association (MALSA) Conference 2025, among others. She was a judge at the Canadian & American Transnational Law Moot 2025.

Presentation Title: AI and Data Privacy: The Future of Data Ownership and Regulation

Lauren Edelman Willens serves as Senior Counsel at Henry Ford Health, where she leads legal strategy for information technology, intellectual property, data privacy, research, and supply chain management. With over a decade of experience advising complex health systems, Lauren specializes in health information technology, HIPAA compliance, AI governance, and cybersecurity risk mitigation.

A Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/US), Lauren has been instrumental in shaping enterprise AI governance frameworks and implementing safeguards for responsible AI integration in healthcare via contracting tools. She regularly counsel executive leadership on regulatory compliance, technology transactions, and emerging legal challenges in artificial intelligence. She is an early adopting of AI technology and how it can add efficiency to the practice of law, rather than replace attorneys.

Lauren is an active member of the American Health Lawyers Association, the International Association of Privacy Professionals, and the State Bar of Michigan. She frequently speaks and publishes on topics including AI in healthcare law, privacy regulation, and technology ethics, and has presented nationally on AI safety and legal risk management.

Presentation Title: Legal’s Role for Implementing AI Compliance

Jeremy J. Rzepka is Lead Counsel at Ford Motor Credit Company LLC, which is the captive finance company for Ford Motor Company. Mr. Rzepka provides regulatory and compliance counsel on state and federal consumer financial services laws and artificial intelligence (“AI”) laws, with a particular emphasis on the use of AI in motor vehicle financing and leasing. Mr. Rzepka earned both his B.S. and J.D. from The Ohio State University. Prior to Ford Credit, he was in private practice in the Cleveland office of McGlinchey Stafford, where he served as Deputy Legal Counsel in the Ohio Treasurer’s office. Mr. Rzepka is a Certified Public Accountant (inactive) and former auditor. The views and positions contained in Mr. Rzepka’s presentation are solely his own and in no way reflect the positions or policies of Ford Motor Credit Company LLC or Ford Motor Company.

Presentation Title: From Data to Discrimination: Artificial Intelligence’s Impact on Equality Under the Law

Kirsten J. Silwanowicz is the Chief General Counsel for the Detroit Housing Commission, where she serves as a strategic advisor to executive leadership on complex legal, regulatory, and operational matters. An experienced in-house counsel, Kirsten’s practice focuses on federal and state grants, public procurement and contracting, governance, litigation management, compliance, and enterprise risk management within highly regulated environments. She is known for translating legal risk into practical, mission-aligned solutions that support organizational effectiveness and public accountability.

Kirsten is deeply committed to leadership development and advancing women in the legal profession. She is President-Elect of the Women Lawyers Association of Michigan (WLAM) and a past president of the WLAM Wayne Region and is actively involved with the National Association of Women Lawyers (NAWL), including its General Counsel Institute. In addition to her practice, Kirsten is an adjunct professor at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, where she teaches an in-house counsel law firm program focused on practical skills, strategic judgment, and business partnerships.

Prior to joining the Detroit Housing Commission, Kirsten held senior legal roles at the Great Lakes Water Authority and the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART), where she negotiated and managed high-value contracts, oversaw litigation and claims, advised on regulatory and funding compliance, and partnered closely with cross-functional teams on infrastructure, operations, and public finance initiatives. She earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law and her Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from Michigan State University.

Julia Belian is an expert in estates and trusts, foundations and charitable organizations, and property law, specializing in the obscure and complex rules of law. Professor Belian had a 10-year career as a journalist before earning a Master of Divinity degree from Yale University and her J.D. from Emory University School of Law. She practiced for more than six years in Minnesota and California, primarily in the fields of estate planning and exempt organization law.  

Professor Belian joined the faculty at Detroit Mercy Law in 2008. Previously, she served as a Visiting Associate Professor of Law at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where she was given the Tiera Farrow Faculty Award by the Association of Women Law Students and was also named Most Outstanding Professor by the Graduating Class of 2008. 

Presentation Title: AI, MiFILE, and Access to Justice in Underserved Communities in Michigan

Jeffrey P. Ray has practiced law for over 40 years in Michigan’s state and federal courts. He has also been a mediator for over 20 years and an AAA Arbitrator, serving on 5 different arbitration panels. Ray is a community leader, legal advocate, and nonprofit board president with a distinguished record of service advancing public safety families, child welfare reform, and access to justice. As President of the Board of Directors of The Hundred Club of Greater Lansing, Ray has guided survivor support initiatives, financial benefits, and scholarship programs for the families of fallen and severely injured public safety officers, while strengthening partnerships across law enforcement and community stakeholders.

A longtime champion for children and families, Ray has chaired and served on the Ingham County Foster Care Review Board and contributed to the Michigan Foster Care Review Board Program, driving systemic improvements through case review, stakeholder collaboration, and policy advocacy. Ray has also supported CASA of Ingham County by recruiting and training volunteers to advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children in court proceedings.

Ray is active in the legal community as a moot court and mock trial judge, a coach and mentor to mediators, and a frequent educator. Ray, along with Partner Jenna Ribbons, also produces podcasts focused on communication, professional development, and equipping advocates with practical tools for impact. Together, these commitments reflect a career centered on leadership, mentorship, and measurable, systems-level change in service of safer communities and stronger outcomes for children and families.

Presentation Title: AI, MiFILE, and Access to Justice in Underserved Communities in Michigan

Jenna J. Ribbons is a highly accomplished dispute resolution professional and legal educator based in Lansing, Michigan. As a Partner at Signature Solutions Group, Ribbons has mediated over 1,500 cases. Ribbons leads a team of mediators, an AAA arbitrator, and restorative justice facilitators. She is recognized for her expertise in mediation, arbitration administration, and restorative justice, and is actively engaged in community outreach and pro bono initiatives, including partnerships with the Women’s Center of Greater Lansing.

Jenna holds an LL.M. in Dispute Resolution from Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law, a Juris Doctor from Western Michigan University Cooley Law School, a Master of Arts in Education (Higher Education Curriculum Design), and a Bachelor of Arts in American Studies and English Literature. She is also an Adjunct Professor of Restorative Justice at University Detroit Mercy Law School, where she develops and delivers innovative curriculum for law students.

Jenna’s professional affiliations include the Women’s Lawyers Association of Michigan, the ADR Section of the Michigan Bar, and the Women’s Business League. She has presented at the Michigan Bar’s ADR Section Conference, co-chairs the Ingham County Bar Association’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Section, and is the co-host of the podcast “Transform Your Talk, With Jeff and Jenna.” Her credentials are supported by a comprehensive suite of up-to-date mediation and facilitation certifications, and she is proficient in digital marketing, case management systems, and online teaching platforms. Most recently, Jenna has become approved by Michigan’s State Court Administrators Office (SCAO) as an Advanced Mediation Trainer.

Presentation Title: JusticeTech @ OSU: Fostering AI and Access to Justice through Experiential Education

Amy J. Schmitz is a full-time professor at The Ohio State Moritz College of Law, the Program on Dispute Resolution as the John Deaver Drinko-Baker & Hostetler Endowed Chair in Law, and a Co-Director of the Translational Data Analytics Institute (TDAI) CoP for Responsible Data Science at The Ohio State University. She also created and directs the JusticeTech Program and is affiliated with The Ohio State Program on Data Governance and the Divided Community Project. Before teaching at Ohio State, Professor Schmitz taught at the University of Missouri School of Law and Center for Dispute Resolution as the Elwood L. Thomas Missouri Endowed Professor of Law, starting in 2016. Previously she was a Professor at the University of Colorado School of Law for over 16 years. Prior to teaching, Professor Schmitz practiced law with large law firms in Seattle and Minneapolis and served as a law clerk for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit. Professor Schmitz teaches courses in Law and Technology/JusticeTech, Contracts, Lawyering and Problem-Solving, Online Dispute Resolution (ODR), Arbitration, International Arbitration, Social Media and Conflict, and Uniform Commercial Code. She has been heavily involved in Arbitration and LegalTech teaching and research for a long time, is a Fellow of the National Center for Technology and Dispute Resolution, and was the Co-Chair of the ABA Technology Committee of the Dispute Resolution Section and the ODR Task Force.  Professor Schmitz is also an elected member of the American Law Institute and the 2023 winner of the Association of American Law Schools Technology, Law and Legal Education Section Award as well as the ABA Section on Dispute Resolution Scholarly Achievement Award in 2025.

Professor Schmitz has delivered over 185 presentations and hosts The Arbitration Conversation, a highly regarded webcast (100 episodes) that moved to a podcast (17 episodes and more coming). She also is a researcher with the ACT Project exploring AI and dispute resolution at the Cyberjustice Laboratory in Montreal, Canada, and is heavily involved in discussions and research around technology, dispute resolution, and access to justice. She has published over 90 articles in journals and books, is a co-author of Resolving Disputes: Theory, Practice and Law (Aspen 2021), the book with Stipanowich, Arbitration: Theory, Practice and Law (Aspen 2022), a book with C. Rule, The New Handshake: Online Dispute Resolution and the Future of Consumer Protection (ABA 2017), and most recently, The Arbitration Conversation: Insights and Wisdom from Experts in the Field (ABA 2024). She has received the Inst. for Conflict Prevention and Resolution (CPR) Award for one of her articles as well as the CPR Book Award in 2023 and again in 2025. Amy has been an Expert Consultant on two USAID Projects, two Fulbright Specialist grants, and does research, teaching and presentations throughout the world.

Presentation Title: JusticeTech @ OSU: Fostering AI and Access to Justice through Experiential Education

Mindy Yocum is a general practice attorney and experiential educator based in Ohio. She serves as a Staff Attorney for the JusticeTech Program at The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, where she works with interdisciplinary teams to develop technology-driven solutions to access to justice challenges.

She is also the founder of Yocum Law Office, a sliding-scale practice, and the JusticeMobile, a nonprofit mobile legal advice clinic that brings legal services directly into communities across Ohio. Since 2019, JusticeMobile has served thousands of individuals by reducing barriers to legal help.

Mindy’s work focuses on client-centered lawyering, court process improvement, and the responsible use of technology in legal practice. She is a Fellow of the American and Ohio State Bar Foundations, an ABA Legal Rebel and regularly presents on access to justice and experiential legal education.

Presentation Title: Advocate-Don't Hallucinate! Appellate Court Staff Attorneys as Vanguards for Ethical AI Usage

Ashley M. London is an associate professor of law and the director of bar studies at the Thomas R. Kline School of Law of Duquesne University. In addition to teaching Professional Responsibility, Introduction to Legal Education, and Bar Readiness, London develops unique and comprehensive bar preparation programming with a focus on strong student outcomes.  Her areas of expertise include legal ethics, law school pedagogy, Pennsylvania bar admissions/licensure requirements; the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE); the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE); bar examination essay writing; family law; guardian ad litem-special proceedings; estate planning; landlord/tenant law; housing code enforcement; and media relations. She is currently the co-author of a popular legal ethics textbook, Traversing the Ethical Minefield, Problems, Law, and Professional Responsibility, 5th edition, Aspen Publishing, 2022, with Lawrence J. Fox, Susan R. Martyn, and Ana Pottratz Acosta. She is the co-author of several highly-rated papers examining the effects of the rollout of the NextGen UBE in Pennsylvania and Michigan.

Before entering academia, she was in practice at Legal Aid of North Carolina in the housing division and operated her own law firm, where she focused on civil litigation and served as guardian ad litem for special proceedings representing elderly and mentally handicapped clients. Immediately after graduation, London was selected as Volunteer Legal Intern Program in both the Bankruptcy Judges Division and Article III Judges Division. London was an award-winning local journalist for more than 12 years before obtaining her J.D.

Professor Akunna Olumba is an expert in business law and taxation. She has experience as an adjunct professor at Florida A&M University College of Law. Professor Olumba additionally founded a business development firm and a federal tax legal practice. She has extensive experience assisting in the research and editing of books and articles focused on taxation law. She joined the University in 2022.

Presentation Title: Tadpoles, Dinosaurs, and “Reasonable” Robots: The Next Generation of Human Lawyering

Emily Tait is an IP and technology lawyer with notable experience in AI and generative AI. She serves on Jones Day's global AI team and Technology Committee and co-chaired the Michigan Judicial Council's Working Group on GenAI. Emily helps clients develop IP protection, enforcement, and risk management strategies and resolve disputes involving trade secrets, data, copyrights, patents, and trademarks. She also provides strategic advice on IP aspects of corporate transactions and technology agreements across industries. She has handled complex IP litigation involving patent and copyright infringement, system hacking, and trade secret misappropriation and data theft. She has authored numerous case-dispositive briefs and critical motions, securing favorable outcomes at the trial court level and in appeals before the Federal Circuit. The 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in America named her "Lawyer of the Year" in Detroit for IP litigation.

Emily is a founder and past president of the Michigan IP American Inn of Court and past board member of the Federal Circuit Bar Association. She is a frequent writer, speaker, and guest lecturer on AI and other emerging legal issues. Emily's pro bono practice focuses on supporting U.S. veterans and nonprofit cultural organizations. She also serves as the inclusion & advancement partner and training partner for the Detroit Office.

Presentation Title: Tadpoles, Dinosaurs, and “Reasonable” Robots: The Next Generation of Human Lawyering

Celeste Brecht handles civil disputes for clients in pharmaceuticals, healthcare, consumer products, media and entertainment, and transportation industries. She is a first-chair trial lawyer who has been a member of trial teams in state and federal courts, has successfully argued before the California Courts of Appeal, and has obtained favorable jury verdicts and results in a variety of administrative forums. Celeste has won dispositive motions in advance of trial and has managed cases from inception through appeal.

Prior to joining Jones Day, Celeste served as lead counsel in numerous trials, including winning a motion to dismiss with prejudice on behalf of a national pet food company in a putative class action alleging that it failed to disclose toxic lead and other disease-causing heavy metals in its dog food. She also resolved disputes arising from California's Prop 65 environmental regulation on behalf of manufacturers, distributors, and retailers; won an anti-SLAPP motion, affirmed on appeal, on behalf of a high-profile actor, producer, and comedian, defeating allegations of harassment, discrimination, and defamation; on behalf of a pharmaceutical company, obtained dismissal in a high-profile personal injury case involving a college athlete; and on behalf of a gasket manufacturer, obtained summary judgment in a products liability case.

Celeste is dedicated to pro bono service and works with the Los Angeles County Bar Association's Domestic Violence Project, the Inner City Law Center, and the Los Angeles Women's Circle, an organization dedicated to funding programs that benefit the development and well-being of young women.

For questions regarding the Law Review Symposium, please contact Hannah Bloomfield, Executive Symposium Editor at bloomfhj@udmercy.edu.

Call for Proposals:

The University of Detroit Mercy Law Review is currently accepting proposals for our annual symposium. In celebration of the 103rd Volume of the Detroit Mercy Law Review, this year’s theme is From Policy to Practice: Navigating AI in the Legal Profession. The symposium will take place at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law in Detroit, Michigan, on Friday, March 6, 2026.

The practice of law is undergoing a profound transformation. Imagine a courtroom where predictive algorithms assist attorneys in crafting winning strategies, a boardroom where AI models help navigate complex transactions with precision and creativity, and a classroom where professors use AI to enhance learning and prepare students for the evolving legal landscape. Artificial intelligence is no longer a distant possibility or a temporary technological achievement—it is rapidly reshaping how attorneys conduct research, draft documents, advise clients, and advocate for justice.

AI’s potential is vast, but so too are the ethical, professional, and legal questions it raises. For instance: How will AI reshape the training and education of the next generation of lawyers? How do we maintain client confidentiality in an age of automation? How can lawyers leverage AI without compromising the human judgment and advocacy that are the hallmarks of our profession?

This symposium topic seeks to examine the evolutionary role of AI in the practice of law, exploring not only how lawyers can effectively leverage emerging technologies, but also how to navigate the legal, ethical, and policy implications that accompany their use. By fostering dialogue among leading practitioners and scholars, we aim to investigate the future of legal work in an age of automation and innovation. Participants will gain insight into both the practical applications of AI in daily practice and the broader considerations for justice, equity, and the rule of law.

Detroit Mercy Law Review invites academics, scholars, practitioners, and other stakeholders to submit proposals for panel presentations and/or publication on topics involving AI and the practice of law. Some potential topics may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• The use of AI in litigation and trial advocacy, including e-discovery, jury analysis, and predictive case outcomes.
• AI in transactional practice, including contract drafting, due diligence, and negotiation strategies.
• Legal ethics in the age of AI including its applicability to legal competence, confidentiality, bias, and accountability.
• AI in legal writing, research, and education: the role of technology in the classroom and professional training.
• Regulatory and policy challenges posed by AI in the legal profession.
• AI and access to justice: how technology can expand or limit legal services for underserved communities.

Submission Procedure:

Proposals should be approximately 250–500 words, double-spaced, and should detail the proposed topic and presentation. Proposals must be submitted no later than 5:00 PM EST, Friday, November 7, 2025, by email to Hannah Bloomfield, Executive Symposium Editor at lawreview@udmercy.edu. In your email, please indicate whether your proposal is for a presentation only, or if you plan to submit an article based on your presentation for potential publication in the Detroit Mercy Law Review. Also, please include a current CV or resume.

If you do not wish to present at the Symposium but would like to submit a relevant unpublished article for potential publication in the Detroit Mercy Law Review, please indicate that in your email as well. If your article is already complete, please attach a copy for review.

Decisions will be emailed on or before December 15, 2025. The final completed manuscripts must be submitted by March 16, 2026, for the Law Review Staff to commence editing.