In 2026, learning AI is not prep for legal practice. It is the practice.
AI discourse is full of noise. Panic on one side, hype on the other.
The reality is: no one has a roadmap. Lawyers have to figure out AI in real time. We have to experiment and get our hands dirty.
So I’m doing this in the open. Writing what I learn, teaching AI bootcamps and sharing what works, what breaks and what awaits us.
That’s why I call this a lab notebook. One lawyer’s notes from building in AI.
This is for you if:
You’re an in-house lawyer or at a firm and you know AI is changing the job but haven’t seen concrete value yet
You want to learn by doing, not by reading theory
You’d rather see a working demo than a slide deck
What subscribers get:
A weekly post breaking down AI for lawyers
Access to live AI bootcamps for lawyers (subscriber-only, hands-on)
No hand-waving. No “10 AI prompts that will change your life.”
Who I am:
I’m Eric Xiyu Li. I’m a product lawyer in tech launching next-gen products in uncharted legal terrain. And I work natively in AI to do it. Connect with me on LinkedIn.
Three guiding principles:
Keep it simple: solve 80% of high-value problems, then iterate
Speak plainly: if I can’t explain it clearly, I don’t get it
Start now: the field moves fast and there’s no “too late”
Start here:
In 2026, learning AI is not prep for legal practice. It is the practice: the piece that started this
Demos > memos. Watch a lawyer save her company: a live AI demo with five legal crises at once
Build AI Intuition: don’t just prompt, direct thinking machines
Disclaimer:
This is an independent personal project. These views here are my own and don’t represent my employer. Content is for informational and educational purposes only, not legal advice. References to third-party companies or products are for commentary only and don’t imply endorsement or affiliation.
