The University of Chicago Law School will require first-year students to leave laptops and phones packed away during class and submit to in-person handwritten exams beginning this fall. The policy, announced as a direct response to the disruption artificial intelligence is causing in higher education, marks one of the most aggressive technology restrictions implemented by a top-tier law school.

What You Need to Know

UChicago Law is the first elite law school to ban personal electronics entirely for first-year students and mandate handwritten exams. The school says the changes are necessary to maintain academic rigor in an era of AI tools that can assist with research and writing. Critics worry the policy could disadvantage students with disabilities and overlook the reality that legal practice relies heavily on technology.

Core Policy Changes

The new rules apply exclusively to first-year Juris Doctor students. Faculty will enforce a no-device policy in all first-year courses, requiring students to take notes by hand. End-of-semester exams will shift from take-home formats to proctored, in-class sessions completed without digital aids.

  • Laptop and phone ban: First-year students may not use personal electronics during class sessions.
  • In-class exams: All first-year assessments will be administered on paper under proctored conditions.
  • Handwritten notes: Students must rely on pen and paper or printed materials for note-taking.

AI Disruption as the Rationale

In its announcement, UChicago Law stated that the rise of generative AI in higher education demands rapid adaptation. “With AI disrupting higher education, our commitment to rigorous legal education must also mean being open to rapid adaptation,” the school said. The policy positions the institution as a holdout against the growing trend of integrating AI tools into law school curricula.

Other law schools, such as Harvard and Stanford, have instead encouraged students to learn how to use AI responsibly. UChicago Law, however, has chosen a path that prioritizes analog skills and memory-based evaluation. The move reflects a broader debate in legal education about whether the classroom should mirror the technology-heavy practice of law or deliberately insulate students from it.

Why This Matters

The policy will directly affect hundreds of incoming students who have built their academic habits around digital tools. For students with conditions such as dyslexia or ADHD that require assistive technology, the ban could create barriers to equal participation. University officials have not yet detailed how accommodation requests will be handled.

Beyond the classroom, the shift may influence hiring and bar exam preparation. Employers increasingly expect new lawyers to be fluent in legal research platforms and document automation tools. By removing technology from the first-year experience, UChicago Law risks producing graduates who are less prepared for the day-to-day realities of modern legal practice. The decision, however, signals to the legal industry that foundational skills like critical thinking and recall remain paramount even as AI reshapes the profession.