Kevin D. Ashley
Kevin D. Ashley develops models of legal reasoning and text analysis, including AI methods for arguments and case comparison. Ashley completed a computer science dissertation at UMass in 1987. A substantially rewritten version became his 1990 book on reasoning with cases and hypotheticals. His research aims to develop computational models of case-based reasoning and argumentation in law and practical ethics. Ashley and Diane Litman studied how to use AI to improve access to justice from 2021 to 2024. He also worked on a legal text analysis center project with James Anderson, Daqing He, Rebecca Hwa and Litman.
- Now at
- University of Pittsburgh
- Works
- 213
- Citations
- 4,807
- h-index
- 33
Publication numbers from OpenAlex, as of 14 October 2026.
Timeline
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1987–1990
Modeling legal arguments
Ashley completed a computer science dissertation at UMass in 1987. A substantially rewritten version became his 1990 book on reasoning with cases and hypotheticals. His research aims to develop computational models of case-based reasoning and argumentation in law and practical ethics.
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1988–1998
Research and teaching appointments
Ashley was a visiting scientist at IBM from June 1988 to July 1989, developing proposals for AI in legal practice. He joined Pittsburgh in September 1989. He took up his law and intelligent systems professorships in September 1998.
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2017
AI and legal analytics
Ashley published a book on AI and legal analytics with Cambridge University Press. The book concerns new tools for legal practice in the digital age. His research links computational reasoning models to legal texts, so that programs can acquire and use legal knowledge.
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2021–2024
Text methods and access to justice
Ashley and Diane Litman studied how to use AI to improve access to justice from 2021 to 2024. He also worked on a legal text analysis center project with James Anderson, Daqing He, Rebecca Hwa and Litman.
Sources and credits
Photo: www.law.pitt.edu; creator not stated. License: Not stated by source. Source: law.pitt.edu. Cropped to a square and resized. Ask us to remove or replace this photo.