In addition to teaching a first-year legal research course, Huston is leading the library’s instructional programs and ensuring students are equipped with the latest tools and strategies for navigating the evolving legal landscape, while also advocating for the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in class curricula.

Justin Huston, J.D. ‘18, head of instructional services in the McKusick Law Library, poses for his headshot.According to Huston, to expand the AI curricula, students need to use AI tools in learning, which will help them think critically and understand the need for human oversight in checking AI-generated content. This type of learning could be used in assignments that compare traditional research methods with AI-driven ones.

“By adopting the AI-focused curriculum, students will learn to use new technology effectively and evaluate both traditional and AI methods,” said Huston.

Huston also highlights the need to teach students about ethical issues and biases in AI legal research. By discussingthe fast-changing legal tech world, he aims to keep the curriculum relevant to prepare students for future legal practice with platforms like Lexis+, Westlaw Precision, and Bloomberg Law. These tools support learning by analyzing a lot of data, finding relevant laws and many more legal tasks.

We sat down with Huston to discuss how he added AI tools to the law school’s legal research curriculum and to gain insight into how the USD Knudson School of Law is dedicated to giving students the knowledge and skills to use AI in legal research responsibly and effectively.

How do you balance the technical and legal aspects of AI in your teaching?

I remind my students (future lawyers) that AI is just a tool like any other tool. They can't expect AI to do everything for them. They have to trust but verify the results of AI, and they need to keep track of their own ethical obligations when it comes to AI.

Can you describe the structure of the AI-related courses you teach?

For Advanced Legal Research, the students are given pre-class videos to watch. Then, in class, they answer legal research questions based on those videos. Usually, we talk about how AI could be useful for discovering how to best use different research methods and resources that use AI.

How do you ensure that students understand both the capabilities and limitations of AI in legal practice?

Most times, we discuss how AI can be beneficial in finding the resource type. For instance, we explore how Westlaw Precision can create a customized secondary source section for South Dakota. During this discussion, we evaluate whether AI is more or less useful. I emphasize to the students that they must trust but verify the results of AI.

How do you address ethical concerns related to AI in your courses?

I begin by outlining the core ethical risks associated with using AI tools—such as privacy concerns related to data collection and the possibility of over-reliance on automated legal analysis. It’s crucial to provide specific examples of AI misuse, like uploading confidential client information to unsecure platforms or uncritically accepting an AI-generated summary of case law without proper verification.

To reinforce these lessons, I highlight professional responsibilities drawn from rules of professional conduct—for example, the duty of competence, which requires attorneys to remain informed about the benefits and risks of relevant technology. Incorporating real-world cases, featuring instances where AI errors led to ethical breaches or sanctions, helps students see the tangible consequences of overlooking ethical considerations.

I try to give context to AI by demonstrating the ethical issues of AI with examples of what not to do, and I give examples of uses for AI in legal research (case summaries and research efficiency, legal analytics, and document analysis). 

How do you measure the success of your AI legal research curriculum?

Students should be able to demonstrate foundational knowledge by understanding how AI tools function. They should be able to articulate core concepts, explain potential benefits and pitfalls. For assessments, students should be able to effectively use AI-powered research platforms: formulating prompts, evaluating results and spotting inaccuracies.

Ethical competence is equally important, as students should be able to discuss confidentiality and the responsible use of AI and understand ongoing technological developments to stay current in a rapidly evolving legal research landscape.

Success is signaled by students emerging with robust technical abilities and deep ethical awareness, capable of judiciously integrating AI into their everyday legal research practice.

How do you incorporate the latest advancements in AI into your teaching?

I actively integrate emerging AI tools and research into my course materials, supplementing lecture slides with hands-on demos that highlight how these technologies can be leveraged in our field. Beyond merely listing new developments in class, I design practical assignments where students experiment with AI-powered platforms—such as legal research databases and generative AI tools—to understand both the benefits and limitations of these resources. This approach not only keeps the curriculum up to date, but also helps students develop critical thinking skills for AI’s role in their future work.

How do you stay updated with the latest advancements in AI?

I stay updated by subscribing to the American Association of Law Libraries (AALL) listserv service and KnowItAALL, a daily email newsletter. It ensures a steady flow of curated news and updates on emerging AI tools and topics, all from a legal research and librarianship perspective. These channels also connect you to a community of law librarians and legal information professionals who share firsthand experiences, best practices, and recommendations.

Blogs like Law Technology Today from the American Bar Association and the AI Law Librarian often post AI advancements as they apply to legal research, practice management, and court technology. I also look at OpenAI’s official blog or Google Labs page which offer AI developments.

I also try to read law journals and listen to podcasts like “The Geek in Review” or “Legal Talk Network” which feature interviews with tech experts, scholars, and law firm innovators who discuss real-world AI applications in the legal sector.

I attend conferences like the AALL annual meeting and the Mid-American Association of Law Libraries (MAALL) annual meeting and watch webinars on legal technology, which provide hands-on demonstrations and networking opportunities with AI vendors and early adopters.

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