Cliff McKinney, managing member of Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull PLLC, will speak on artificial intelligence at two upcoming programs hosted by the American College of Real Estate Lawyers (ACREL), highlighting the rapidly evolving role of AI in legal practice.
At the ACREL 2026 Mid-Year Meeting being held March 26-29, 2026, in Huntington Beach, California, McKinney will serve as a panelist for the session, “Information for Luddites: The Evolving Role of Attorneys in a Tech-Driven World.” The program will introduce generative AI and examine its impact on the practice of law, including improvements in efficiency and quality, practical guidance for responsible adoption, and the ethical considerations attorneys must address. Panelists will also discuss how AI is reshaping legal workflows, client expectations, and attorney training.
McKinney will also participate in ACREL’s Advanced Commercial Leasing Institute (ACLI), scheduled for April 27-29, 2026, in Washington, DC. There, he will join a panel discussion titled “Deus Lex Machina: Living With Artificial Intelligence.” The session will explore how AI is expected to redefine the delivery of legal services in real estate, emphasize the continuing importance of the human role in an AI environment, and address strategies for negotiating with AI-augmented counterparts. The invitation-only ACLI program brings together leading commercial leasing attorneys for in-depth discussion of current and emerging issues in the field.
Founded in 1978, ACREL is a national association of distinguished commercial real estate lawyers, with membership extended by invitation following a rigorous selection process. The organization includes more than 1,000 fellows across all 50 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands, recognized for their legal ability, experience, and commitment to the highest professional and ethical standards.
Cliff is a frequent lecturer on artificial intelligence and its implications for the legal profession, including topics such as emerging technologies, prompt engineering, ethical obligations, risk management, and practical implementation strategies. He has presented for organizations including the American Bar Association and the American College of Mortgage Attorneys (ACMA), and has written extensively on AI-related issues for industry publications and journals. He holds a Prompt Engineering Specialization certification from Vanderbilt University and is a fellow of both ACREL and ACMA.