[TEST] AI for Lawyers: Navigating Ethics & Best Practices
Greg Siskind will provide an overview of ethical rules governing a lawyer’s use of generative artificial intelligence as well as other potential sources of liability including state and federal laws, court rules, and malpractice claims. He will also discuss how to get the most use out of generative AI products including providing tips on creating prompts, how to shop for AI tools,
and how to talk to your clients about your use of this new technology.
* CLE credit is only available to Justia Connect Pro members.
Webinar Highlights
This webinar is divided into section summaries, which you can scan for key points and then dive into the sections that interest you the most.
Introduction and Overview
Greg plans to discuss the ethical implications and liability concerns of using AI in legal practice. He shares his early experiences with technology in law, noting past ethical debates about using websites and email. Greg aims to explore how AI can be responsibly integrated into legal practices.
Understanding Generative AI
Greg reflects on past skepticism about the internet and email, drawing parallels to current uncertainties about AI. He introduces generative AI, explaining its ability to generate content from prompts, unlike traditional AI. Greg highlights major players in the generative AI space, such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini. He explains that generative AI generates responses based on patterns from vast data sources, which can lead to errors. Greg discusses the concept of 'temperature' in AI, affecting the conservativeness of responses. He lists legal AI products, including Co-Counsel and Lexis AI, and their applications in legal tasks. Greg plans to discuss how to shop for AI products and their use in legal practice.
Legal Applications and Risks
Greg discusses the risks of using generative AI, citing a case where a lawyer used ChatGPT and found non-existent cases. He warns about AI's tendency to 'hallucinate,' producing incorrect but confident-sounding answers. Data privacy is a significant concern, since input data can be used to train AI models and potentially be accessed by others. Greg mentions tools that allow private access to AI, mitigating some privacy risks. He notes that AI's reliance on outdated data has improved with newer models accessing live web data. Bias in AI responses is a risk due to the vast and varied data sources from which AI draws. Greg highlights ongoing copyright litigation against AI models and the need for oversight in AI use.
Ethical Considerations and Compliance
Greg emphasizes the importance of understanding court and regulatory rules regarding AI use in legal practice. He mentions international developments, such as Australia's ban on AI-generated witness statements. Greg discusses the EU's AI regulations and similar efforts in California and by the Biden administration. He advises caution with free AI products, recommending versions that ensure data privacy. Greg highlights the need to stay informed about court stances on AI, using resources like Ropes & Gray's chart. He outlines ethical considerations, including competence, confidentiality, and fee reasonableness. Greg stresses the importance of disclosing AI use to clients and maintaining professional independence.
AI Tools and Best Practices
Greg advises on creating AI use policies, including training modules for firm employees. He suggests discussing AI use with clients early, incorporating it into engagement letters. Greg offers to share model AI use policies and engagement letter language. He discusses legal research tools, emphasizing the importance of curated data sources and citation verification. Greg highlights the need for tools that handle confidential data securely and integrate with existing systems. He notes the potential of AI in drafting, translation, and document analysis, predicting advancements in 2025. Greg mentions tools like Pattern Builder for drafting and Billables.ai for time tracking.
Client Communication and AI Integration
Greg discusses the benefits of AI in client communication, emphasizing efficiency and transparency. He advises building trust with clients by explaining AI's role and addressing security concerns. Greg shares his approach to using AI in consultations, demonstrating its capabilities to clients. He stresses the importance of verifying AI-generated information and maintaining client trust. Greg suggests being upfront about AI use and addressing client concerns about its integration. He predicts AI will become an expected tool in legal practice, enhancing efficiency and client relationships. Greg concludes by offering his contact information for further inquiries and resources.
Please note this AI-generated summary provides a general overview of the webinar but may not capture all details, nuances, or the exact words of the speaker. For complete accuracy, please refer to the original webinar recording.
Greg Siskind is a founding partner of Siskind Susser and has been practicing immigration law since 1990. He is also a co-founder of AI software company Visalaw Ventures. He received his bachelor’s degree from Vanderbilt
University and his law degree from the University of Chicago. Read More ›
Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Credits
*CLE credit is only available to Justia Connect Pros. Not a Pro? Upgrade today>>
This presentation is approved for one and a quarter hours of Legal Ethics CLE credit in California, one and a quarter hours of Ethics CLE credit in North Carolina, and one and a quarter hours of Legal Ethics/Professional Responsibility CLE credit in South Carolina (all levels). This program has been approved by the Board on Continuing Legal Education of the Supreme Court of New Jersey for 1.50 hours of total CLE credit. Of these, 1.50 qualify as total hours of credit for Ethics/Professionalism.
Justia only reports attendance in jurisdictions in which a particular Justia CLE Webinar is officially accredited. Lawyers may need to self-submit their certificates for CLE credit in jurisdictions not listed above.
Note that CLE credit, including partial credit, cannot be earned outside of the relevant accreditation period. To earn credit for a course, a lawyer must watch the entire course within the relevant accreditation period. Lawyers who have viewed a presentation multiple times may not be able to claim credit in their jurisdiction more than once. Justia reserves the right, at its discretion, to grant an attendee partial or no credit, in accordance with viewing duration and other methods of verifying course completion.
At this time, Justia only offers CLE courses officially accredited in certain states.
Lawyers may generate a generic attendance certificate to self-submit credit in their own jurisdiction, but Justia does not guarantee that lawyers will receive their desired CLE credit through the self-submission or reciprocity process.
Apple
Google Calendar
Office 365
Outlook
