The Duty to Keep Up: Tech Competence as an Ethical Obligation

The legal profession's duty of competence has always required staying current, but in 2026, that means understanding how artificial intelligence is reshaping the practice of law. This course examines what ABA Model Rule 1.1 requires of attorneys in the age of AI, how state bars are interpreting and enforcing tech competence obligations, and what attorneys must do to protect their clients and their licenses. Practical, immediately applicable, and eligible for ethics credit across all practice areas.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this course, attendees will be able to:

1. Identify the tech competence obligations under ABA Model Rule 1.1 and equivalent state rules
2. Recognize how AI tools implicate attorney duties around confidentiality, supervision, and candor to the tribunal
3. Evaluate which AI tools and workflows meet the standard of tech-competent lawyering in their jurisdiction
4. Apply a framework for documenting AI use in their practice to demonstrate ongoing compliance
5. Describe the current enforcement landscape and how state bars are responding to AI-related violations