MSU Law professor to be recognized for technology mentorship

MSU Law Professor and Director of the Center for Law, Technology, & Innovation Dennis Kennedy will be honored with the “Inaugural Technology Mentorship Award” during the 2024 Annual Meeting of the Association of American Law Schools (AALS). Kennedy is being recognized by the AALS Section on Technology, Law, & Legal Education.

Kennedy is widely recognized for promoting integration of technology and innovation and the practice of law. He motivates students by sharing his passion and encouraging them to recognize the significant role of technology in most every industry, from large corporations to the smallest of businesses and across non-profits and social services organizations.

“It is rewarding to see how excited students get when discovering the connection between the legal field and tremendous impact that technology and innovation play at every level of our society,” said Kennedy. “Their interest peaks when they understand the vast opportunities to chart a new direction in law by becoming legal technologists. This is a pivotal time in the field of law and it is amazing to be at the forefront of helping MSU Law’s future lawyers realize they are the vehicle for change in the legal profession.”

As director for MSU Law’s Center for Law, Technology, & Innovation, Kennedy developed and aggressively builds upon the vision “to democratize access to justice through innovation.” The Center’s reputation for training sought-after technology-savvy lawyers is widespread and was the subject of a 2023 article in Bloomberg Law and has earned Kennedy this AALS award.

The website for the AALS Section on Technology, Law, & Legal Education states that their focus is on ways to “(1) use technology to enhance our teaching; (2) prepare our students to use technology effectively in their learning and future practice; and (3) equip our students to create technology to improve our legal system.” The awards presentation will be made during the 2024 AALS Annual Meeting being held in Washington, D.C., on January 3-6. The theme for the annual meeting is “Defending Democracy.”