AI and Ethics in Legal Practice

Rapid technological developments change the way we practice, and we must ensure that our new behaviors conform to the rules. From document drafting to intake, we are adopting AI tools that simulate-but do not replicate-legal reasoning. AI systems are already embedded in the products we use every day. But what are the risks of delegating tasks to a tool that's probabilistic, nontransparent, and, at times, confidently wrong?

This course addresses the practical and ethical concerns attorneys face when using generative AI tools. Through examples and practical comparisons, we'll explore how these tools are being used in practice, what duties they implicate under the Rules of Professional Conduct, and how firms can create safe, clear protocols for incorporating them ethically into legal work. You will leave with a structured understanding of how these tools work, what ethical risks they raise, and how to evaluate their use in line with emerging best practices.

Learning Objectives:

1. Analyze how LLMs, LRMs, and RAG systems function and how they are being used in legal practice

2. Identify ethical obligations under the ABA Model Rules and relevant state variations

3. Compare the use of AI tools to supervision of nonlawyers and remote support staff

4. Develop firm-level protocols for ethical experimentation and responsible use