Using AI in Law Practice: Ethical and Practical Considerations

AI provides exciting opportunities for lawyers to supplement their legal expertise and complete tasks with greater efficiency. It is also fraught with ethical risks. For this reason, lawyers should exercise caution in entrusting tasks to AI and, if and when they do, scrutinize the work it produces. This ethics CLE will examine the relevant ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct implicated by AI use.

This program provides practical guidance about how to comply with your ethical obligations while reaping the benefits of AI. It will describe the opportunities afforded by AI, and how they intersect with critical rules of professional conduct including Rules 1.1, mandating that lawyers be competent in relevant technology, 5.3, requiring lawyers supervise those who report to them, 1.6, requiring that lawyers keep client confidences, and 1.4, providing standards governing how often and about what lawyers have to communicate with their clients.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify and analyze the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct implicated by AI use, including Rules 1.1 (competence and technological proficiency), 5.3 (supervision), 1.6 (confidentiality), and 1.4 (client communication).
• Evaluate the ethical risks and professional responsibility considerations associated with delegating legal tasks to AI tools, including issues of accuracy, supervision, confidentiality, and client disclosure.
• Develop practical strategies for ethically integrating AI into legal practice, including implementing safeguards, supervising AI-generated work, protecting client information, and communicating appropriately with clients about AI use.