This AILA live online course is available for preregistration. The course will launch on October 14, 2025, at which time preregistrants will receive access to the course platform.

AI isn’t just for tech experts — it’s becoming an everyday tool in legal practice. In this hands-on, beginner-friendly course, participants will create Custom GPTs—AI-powered assistants which can be tailored to the unique demands of immigration law. Using the ChatGPT Team platform, participants will learn to automate routine office processes and create their own GPT “executive assistant” that can assist with firm-specific tasks.

Who Should Take This Course
This course is designed for immigration attorneys and legal professionals who are curious about integrating AI technology into their work; no prior AI experience needed.

What to Expect
The program consists of three discussion panels and an optional Design Clinic Office Hours session, presented over two weeks.

• Three 90-minute webinars, including:
  • Lectures
  • Demonstrations and guided practice
  • Q&A
• Hands-on experience building your own Custom GPT
• Design Clinic Office Hours with course instructors for 1-on-1 feedback
• Access to recordings of webinars
• AILA Course Discussion Board 
  • Share Custom GPT use cases and instructions
  • Ask immigration-specific questions
  • Connect with speakers and colleagues

Suggested Tech Platform:

• The course instructors will use ChatGPT Business (formerly ChatGPT Team) as the AI tech platform throughout the course, recommended for its added data security and features.
• While not required, access to ChatGPT Business is strongly recommended to fully benefit from the instruction. ChatGPT Business is a paid product
  • Account registration and payment is the individual responsibility of course participants
  • The registration fee for 1 month is $60 at time of writing 
    • The account allows for 2 individuals to register/share digital workspace
    • ChatGPT Business accounts do not train on chats and documents
    • Access to ChatGPT 5 is included

Session 1
Tuesday, October 14, 2025
1:00 pm ET
Understanding the Basics of Custom GPTs
This session introduces participants to the fundamentals of Custom GPTs, including how they can be used to improve efficiency and manage complex tasks. The course instructors will guide participants through practical use cases, ethical considerations, and how to design a Custom GPT.

• Exploring essential questions: What are Custom GPTs and why do we need them?
• Saving time and money: use cases for legal practitioners
  • Automating routine office tasks
  • Immigration-specific research and drafting
  • Reliable resources: integrating data from the INA, CFR, USCIS Policy Manual, and FAM
• Ethics
  • Informed consent: when and how to disclose AI use to clients
  • Attorney oversight and avoiding unauthorized practice of law
  • Competence with new AI products 
  • Supervision
  • The pros and cons of third-party GPTs
• Design Clinic: Learn how to create a Custom GPT for basic tasks

Faculty:
Michele N. Carney (DL), Seattle, WA
Juan Jose (JJ) Amell, The Woodlands, TX
Michael A. Harris, Miami, FL

Session 2
Friday, October 17, 2025
1:00 pm ET
Tailoring Your Custom GPT
In this session, course instructors provide an overview of select participant-designed Custom GPTs, identify and answer common questions, and offer recommendations for improved outcomes. Participants will learn how to craft a digital legal persona and build a GPT Executive Assistant using advanced settings and role-based customization.

• Design Clinic review
  • Successes and challenges of participant-designed Custom GPTs
  • Troubleshooting common issues
• Creating your digital legal persona
  • How to tailor GPT behavior to meet the needs of your practice 
    • Defining digital “staff” roles
    • Personalizing language and tone
• Understanding and maximizing ChatGPT settings functions
• Design Clinic: Learn how to create a custom GPT executive assistant

Faculty:
Amélie-Sophie Vavrovsky (DL), Founder & CEO, Formally Inc., Palo Alto, CA
Juan Jose (JJ) Amell, The Woodlands, TX
Michael A. Harris, Miami, FL

Design Clinic Office Hours (Optional)
Saturday, October 18 | Tuesday, October 21
Sign up for a 20-minute, 1-on-1 session to ask questions and get real-time feedback on your Custom GPT design from a course instructor. This special opportunity has limited spaces available and is included in the cost of the course. Registration for the Design Clinic Office Hours will be available on Wednesday, October 15 at noon. All participants may also submit questions to the discussion board.

Session 3
Tuesday, October 28, 2025
1:00 pm ET 
The Future of Custom GPTs and Agentic AI
In this session, participants will reflect on their Custom GPT executive assistant projects, and faculty will review key takeaways and reflect on common challenges identified during Office Hours. The faculty also will discuss how AI in legal practice is rapidly changing, and they will address the move to agentic AI, introduce the concept of agentic AI, and provide guidance on best practices.

• Design Clinic review
  • Highlights from participant-designed GPT executive assistants
  • Common themes and questions raised during Office Hours sessions
• Introducing Agentic AI
  • What is Agentic AI and how is it related to Custom GPTs?
  • Exploring ChatGPT’s “agent mode”
• Best practices and looking ahead

Faculty:
Juan Jose (JJ) Amell, The Woodlands, TX
Michael A. Harris, Miami, FL

Registration Disclaimer: Participation in this AILA online course is solely restricted to AILA members and nonmember attorneys. Non-attorney attendance is limited to employees of AILA members in good standing, HR professionals who have an AILA member reference, employees of accredited educational institutions providing support to international student and scholar services at their employing institutions, and accredited representatives under 8 CFR §292.2. AILA does not permit course participation by persons who provide representation without authorization in violation of 8 CFR §292.1, such as for-profit "immigration consultants" and “notarios.”

This product contains online content available through our online learning platform, elearning.aila.org, for two years from the date of purchase. Refund Policy: All online content purchases are final. They are not eligible for return/refund.