An interesting article was posted in the Seattle Times via the Associated Press over the weekend. It noted that attorneys’ legal briefs were filled with mistakes and fake legal citations. Why? Well, apparently attorneys have decided that lawyering is easier if one just has artificial intelligence (“AI”) do the work.
According to the article, judges around the world are fed up with lazy legal work from those practicing law in their courtrooms. Some have even sanctioned attorneys for the practice. In one Colorado case, a Federal judge ruled that a lawyer filed a brief containing a whopping 30 defective citations. It isn’t just ‘hallucinations’ (which is what these are called) that are the problem. In the legal field, we attorneys also have privacy and confidentiality issues. Using free AI tools can certainly violate those tenants and, thus, attorneys should be cautious inputting client data into those public domains.
This isn’t to say attorneys shouldn’t use AI tools. However, the use should be done understanding that there are pitfalls and that the accuracy of the information provided via AI should be checked and verified. Moreover, if an attorney (or staff) is inputting sensitive information, the tool used should be a paid service which specifically states it isn’t sharing the information.
The article ends by saying schooling on the topic is advised, which seems extremely reasonable. However, attorneys are using AI to limit their hours of work, not increase them. The question thus becomes -- how long does one need to be ‘schooling’ on a thing that is constantly expanding, growing and itself - learning. Welp, as Russell Wilson used to say, [there is] ‘no time to sleep!’
If you or a loved one is in a bind as a result of criminal allegations immediately contact a Seattle Criminal Attorney. A Seattle Criminal Defense Attorney is not going to judge you and understands that everyone makes mistakes. Hiring a Seattle Criminal Lawyer to help can – at a minimum – reduce penalties and can help direct people on how to best deal with their criminal charge, and many times even get them dismissed. So, it should go without saying that someone cited for a misdemeanor or felony should hire a qualified Seattle Criminal Lawyer as soon as possible. Criminal charges can cause havoc on a person’s personal and professional life. Anyone charged with a crime in Washington State should immediately seek the assistance of a seasoned Seattle Criminal Lawyer. SQ Attorneys can be reached at (425) 359-3791 and/or (206) 441-0900.