Artificial intelligence has moved beyond legal curiosity and into the ordinary machinery of law practice. Lawyers increasingly use AI for legal research, drafting, discovery, contract review, litigation analysis, client intake, billing, marketing, and other tasks. Used carefully, AI can reduce costs, improve efficiency, identify patterns in large datasets, and enhance legal services. Used carelessly, it can fabricate law, compromise client confidences, violate protective orders, generate misleading communications, create unauthorized-practice concerns, and lead to sanctions.

This CLE course examines AI in the legal process from the lawyer’s perspective, exploring both its practical applications and the legal and ethical risks that accompany its use. Topics include AI hallucinations and fabricated authorities, verification of AI-generated work, and the duties of competence, confidentiality, communication, candor, supervision, fees, advertising, and unauthorized practice under the ABA Model Rules and applicable state ethics guidance.

The program also addresses AI as a data-protection and cybersecurity issue, including the handling and retention of client information, vendor access, training practices, cross-border data transfers, protective orders, and potential disclosure obligations following an AI-related security incident.

The course concludes with practical AI governance strategies, including developing law-firm AI policies, assessing tools by risk, protecting privilege, verifying citations and quotations, supervising AI-assisted work, billing appropriately for AI-related services, and using AI in marketing without misleading prospective clients.