YLD
President ’ s
COLUMN
Is AI a Threat or an Opportunity for YLD Members ?
by Tyler Stall , Esq . Hutton , Dominko & Stall , PLLC
By now , most of you have probably tried your hand at using one of the many competing AI platforms for drafting purposes , advertising , or who knows what else . Maybe you ’ ve gone to see what the fuss is about with ChatGPT , Claude , Perplexity , or Gemini . ( Fun fact : I asked Claude which AI was the best , and it politely declined to answer – apparently , even AI tries to avoid office politics .)
As your YLD President , I decided to dive deep into the AI rabbit hole for answers . First question : “ Hey Claude , how are we lawyers supposed to approach AI without getting ourselves into ethical hot water or accidentally citing cases from the Supreme Court of Mars ?” Here ’ s what it had to say :
“ Lawyers should approach AI with an open mind , actively learning how to utilize its capabilities while maintaining ethical considerations , including thorough fact-checking and always prioritizing their own legal judgment when making decisions for clients ; essentially , using AI as a powerful tool to assist their work , not replace it entirely .”
Pretty solid advice , right ? But I had to push further : “ Claude , what ’ s the worst thing that could happen if I just copy-paste your work without checking it ?” The response :
• Professional liability : You could face malpractice claims if incorrect legal advice or analysis harms your client ’ s interests .
• Ethics violations : Many state bars require attorneys to provide competent representation and exercise independent judgment . Blindly using AI output without verification could violate these ethical obligations .
• Factual or legal errors : While I strive for accuracy , I can make mistakes or hallucinate citations , cases , or statutes . These errors could :
• Lead to invalid legal arguments
• Result in missed deadlines or procedural requirements
• Cause your client to lose their case
• Damage your professional reputation
• Outdated information : My knowledge cutoff means I may miss recent legal developments , changes in statutes , or new precedents that could be crucial to your case .
That ’ s exactly why getting too lazy with AI could pose a danger . Plus , it often doesn ’ t sound like you . Clients and peers who are often in contact with you will know the difference between when you
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