UCLA Law Taps AI Innovator to Bridge Gap Between Tech and Practice

WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. – April 27, 2026 – In a move reflecting the legal industry's urgent need to integrate artificial intelligence, the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Law Executive Education has appointed Hamid Kohan, a prominent legal technology CEO, to the advisory board for its "Strategic AI for Legal Professionals Program." The appointment signals a significant trend among elite academic institutions to infuse their curricula with practical, operational expertise from the front lines of technological innovation.

Kohan, the chief executive of Practice AI and Legal Soft, brings years of experience modernizing law firms through AI-driven platforms and scalable support models. His role on the advisory board will involve shaping a program designed to move legal professionals beyond theoretical understanding and equip them with the frameworks to strategically evaluate, implement, and lead AI initiatives within their organizations. This collaboration between academia and industry underscores a critical evolution in legal training, as firms grapple with the legal, ethical, and operational realities of an AI-powered landscape.

The New Frontier of Legal Education

UCLA is not alone in its pursuit of AI literacy. A growing number of top-tier law schools are launching specialized executive programs to address the technology's disruptive force. Institutions like Harvard Law School, with its "AI and the Law" program, and Stanford Law School, offering "AI Strategy for Legal Leaders," are creating dedicated courses to prepare legal executives for this new era. These programs recognize that AI is no longer a niche topic but a fundamental component of modern legal practice that demands strategic oversight.

The "Strategic AI for Legal Professionals Program" at UCLA Law, offered online in partnership with Zschool, distinguishes itself by focusing on the practical application and operational integration of AI. Its eight-module curriculum is designed for lawyers, educators, and policymakers, covering not only foundational AI concepts like large language models but also pressing issues in copyright, cybersecurity, and privacy regulation. By incorporating real-world case studies and practical assignments, the program aims to bridge the often-vast gap between academic theory and the day-to-day challenges of running a law firm.

Kohan's appointment is central to this mission. He is expected to provide the board with direct insights from the industry, ensuring the program's content remains relevant and actionable. This synergy is vital for addressing the core challenge facing the legal profession: how to transform AI from a collection of disparate tools into a cohesive, efficient, and ethical part of legal service delivery.

From the Trenches to the Classroom

Hamid Kohan has become an increasingly influential voice in the conversation around legal transformation. His career has been defined by a blend of Silicon Valley-style innovation and a deep understanding of law firm operations. Through his two companies, he has directly assisted over 1,100 law firms in their modernization journey.

Legal Soft, founded in 2016, provides legal staffing and technology solutions, helping firms scale with experienced virtual professionals and innovative tools. This venture tackles the human resources and operational overhead that often constrains growth. His other company, Practice AI, offers a more direct technological solution. It is an AI-powered legal practice management platform built specifically for plaintiff personal injury law firms, unifying functions like AI-powered document drafting, medical record summarization, client intake automation, and demand letter generation into a single system.

His philosophy is best captured in his own words. "For law firms, AI should be viewed as infrastructure, not just a tool," Kohan stated. "When implemented correctly, it reduces low value repetition, improves operational efficiency, and allows legal professionals to focus on strategy, client services and growth. I'm honored to join the Advisory Board for UCLA Law's Strategic AI for Legal Professionals Program and look forward to contributing to a program that helps the industry approach AI with human oversight."

This perspective, honed through years of practical implementation, is what he brings to the UCLA advisory board. His experience is backed by significant industry recognition, including the 2024 Distinguished Leader Award at the California Legal Awards and membership in the Forbes Business Council, where he has authored articles on the opportunities and risks of legal AI.

AI as Infrastructure, Not Just a Tool

The core argument that Kohan champions—viewing AI as infrastructure—represents a paradigm shift for the legal industry. For decades, technology in law firms has often been additive, with new software bolted onto existing workflows. This has led to what some experts call "fragmented implementation," where firms adopt multiple, disconnected AI tools for specific tasks. While a single tool might offer isolated efficiency gains, the lack of integration can create new bottlenecks, data silos, and operational headaches.

An infrastructure-based approach, by contrast, treats AI as the foundational operating system of the firm. Practice AI, for example, was designed to be this kind of integrated system for personal injury practices. By connecting client intake, document analysis, and case preparation in one platform, it aims to create a seamless flow of information and eliminate redundant data entry and manual processing. The company reports that clients using its unified system have seen up to a 70% reduction in operational costs tied to document preparation and a 90% reduction in documentation errors.

This is the strategic vision that programs like UCLA's seek to instill in legal leaders. The curriculum is designed to teach professionals not just what AI can do, but how to build a cohesive technology stack that aligns with the firm's business goals. This involves understanding how to vet vendors, manage data, ensure ethical compliance, and, most importantly, redesign workflows to leverage the technology's full potential. The goal is to move beyond simply using an AI-powered research tool or a document reviewer and instead build a practice where technology, people, and processes work in concert to deliver better, faster, and more cost-effective client outcomes.

A Strategic Imperative for Modern Law Firms

The push toward comprehensive AI education is driven by a clear market reality: firms that fail to adapt risk being left behind. The traditional law firm model, with its heavy reliance on billable hours and manual labor for repetitive tasks, is becoming increasingly unsustainable in a competitive market. AI promises not just incremental improvements but a fundamental reordering of how legal services are delivered.

However, adoption faces significant hurdles. Attorney reluctance, born from a preference for traditional methods and a fear of the unknown, remains a major barrier. Furthermore, the ethical and regulatory landscape is a minefield. Concerns about client data privacy, the accuracy of AI-generated content, and the potential for bias are paramount. This is why the educational component is so critical. By demystifying the technology and providing a framework for responsible implementation, programs like UCLA's can help overcome resistance and foster a culture of innovation.

The future of legal practice is likely to be dominated by hybrid, digital-first models that combine in-person legal expertise with virtual staff and AI-powered automation. This structure allows firms to scale efficiently, expand their market reach, and improve client satisfaction without a proportional increase in overhead. The appointment of industry leaders like Hamid Kohan to academic advisory boards is a clear acknowledgment that the path to this future runs directly through education. By equipping today's lawyers with the operational and strategic knowledge to navigate this transformation, institutions like UCLA Law are not just teaching a new subject; they are helping to design the law firm of tomorrow.