Suffolk University Law School today announced a partnership with Hotshot, a popular learning platform for lawyers, to integrate Hotshot's AI content into the school’s mandatory curriculum for all first-year students.

Beginning in the 2025-26 academic year, all first-year students will complete a custom Generative AI learning track as a required component of their Legal Practice Skills course, making Suffolk Law the first law school in the nation to mandate the Hotshot learning track for all its incoming students.

During the fall semester of the Legal Practice Skills course, which recently ranked No. 3 in the country in the U.S. News Rankings for Legal Writing, students will complete a tailored learning track featuring Hotshot courses specifically selected in collaboration with Suffolk Law. The course combines asynchronous videos with in-class exercises designed to bridge foundational knowledge with practical application.

The learning track features a curated list of Hotshot AI courses covering topics like understanding GenAI and why it matters for lawyers; large language models, including use cases, risks, and limitations; ethics and professional responsibilities; and practice-area specific use cases and considerations.

The partnership gives Suffolk Law students access to Hotshot content used by major law firms, including half of the Am Law 100, as well as other top law schools nationwide. This ensures students are learning what they'll encounter and need to know in practice.

Upon completion of the track, students will receive personalized certificates they can share with employers via LinkedIn to demonstrate their practical AI knowledge.

"Today, legal practice skills—as our 1L mandatory course is called—go far beyond traditional memos and legal research," said Dyane L. O'Leary, Professor of Legal Writing and Director of the Legal Technology & Innovation Center at Suffolk Law. "Law students and lawyers today are expected to understand the basics of Generative AI legal tools, including their limitations and risks. While Suffolk Law's LIT Concentration offers unique upper-level electives for a deep dive on AI, all law students need a strong, foundational understanding."

The program reflects Suffolk Law's commitment to preparing students for the realities of modern legal practice.

"Suffolk's Legal Practice Skills program strives to teach students 'old' critical legal analysis skills alongside these new transformative tools—we can't pretend they don't exist, or that incoming law students aren't using them," O'Leary continued. "The asynchronous, flexible Hotshot videos offer the perfect kick-off in combination with our curriculum as we help students begin to transition from personal users of tools like ChatGPT to professional ones."

"Suffolk's approach to legal education perfectly aligns with our mission to provide practical, accessible training for all lawyers, law students and other legal professionals," said Ian Nelson, Co-Founder of Hotshot. "By working together to create a custom learning track for all 1L students, Suffolk is ensuring their students have the traditional legal skills and the technological fluency that they need."

The program launches in fall 2025, with all incoming 1L students participating in the integrated curriculum.