Curiosity, Confidence and Caution: Amy Salyzyn on AI, Legal Ethics and Legal Education

From Future Ready Lawyer: AI and the Evolution of Legal Practice by Armin Alimardani, Mark Bennett, Alexandra Vost

August 10, 2026 · 40 min · Season 2 · Episode 3

About this episode

The episode discusses the impact of AI on legal practice and education with a focus on ethics and professional responsibility.

Generative AI is already reshaping legal practice, not only through new tools, but through fake cases, misstated authorities, longer AI-generated submissions, and new pressures on courts, tribunals, regulators, lawyers, and law schools. In this episode, Armin Alimardani and Mark Bennett speak with Associate Professor Amy Salyzyn from the University of Ottawa about how AI is appearing in Canadian legal practice and litigation, what courts and regulators are doing in response, and why cost consequences, personal costs orders, discipline, and professional responsibility are now part of the AI conversation. The discussion also turns to legal education: how to teach AI in law school and professional responsibility courses, why students still need to “do the reps” of reading cases, writing, and legal analysis, and how to avoid cognitive deskilling or “cognitive foreclosure”. Amy closes with a practical mindset for lawyers and students navigating this moment: curiosity, confidence, and caution. Guest Prof. Amy F. Salyzyn is an Associate Professor at the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Law, Common Law Section. Her work focuses on legal ethics, lawyer regulation, legal technology, AI in…

People in this episode

Hosts: Armin Alimardani, Mark Bennett

Guest: Amy Salyzyn

Topics covered

AI in legal practice
legal ethics
legal education
court responses to AI
professional responsibility
cognitive skills in law

Keywords

generative AI
legal practice
AI tools
law schools
cognitive deskilling
legal analysis
cost consequences

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: University of Ottawa