PRESIDENT ’ S MESSAGE
PRESIDENT ’ S MESSAGE
Artificial Intelligence in the Legal Profession
Andrea Lewis 2024-25 PBCBA President
The legal profession has always been shaped by innovation , from the advent of the printing press to the digital revolution . Technological advancements in recent decades have dramatically changed how we communicate , access information , and conduct business . Today , we stand at the threshold of another transformative era — Artificial Intelligence ( AI ).
Given the rapid emergence of AI in the legal field , the Florida Bar created a Special Committee on AI Tools & Resources to examine the use of AI in our profession , educate lawyers about the various resources available , and assist those who want to integrate AI into their practice . The committee recently published " The Florida Bar Guide to Getting Started with AI " which is available for free on LegalFuel . The guide contains a helpful introduction into the world of AI , comparison charts for various AI models , ethical guidance for Florida lawyers , and a sample disclaimer that lawyers can provide to clients about the use of generative AI within their practice . Special Committee Co-Chair , Gordon Glover , stated that the publication is intended to “ help Florida lawyers understand how generative AI can responsibly assist them with tasks like drafting , research , and client communication , all the while complying with their ethical and professional obligations .”
The Florida Bar also published a comprehensive ethics opinion about the use of AI to provide further guidance to lawyers . Florida Bar Ethics Opinion 24-1 discusses a wide range of important topics , ethical considerations , and requirements for lawyers who use generative AI within their practice .
The American Bar Association ( ABA ) took an equally proactive approach and created the Task Force on Law and Artificial Intelligence . The Task Force recently published a 42 page report titled " Addressing the Legal Challenges of AI : Year 1
Report on the Impact of AI on the Practice of Law ". The report can be found on the ABA website , along with other AI-related webinars , articles , educational materials , and CLEs .
One thing is clear : AI is here to stay . We owe it to ourselves and our clients to learn about these technological advancements and use them to streamline our internal processes , lower costs , improve efficiency , and provide higher quality representation to clients .
PBCBA BAR BULLETIN 3