Colorado Lawyer Suspended for Using AI Chatbot to Draft Legal Document, Despite Alleged Innocent Intentions
A young Colorado lawyer, Zachariah Crabill, found himself in hot water this summer when he was suspended for a year from the prestigious Baker Law Group for using an AI chatbot to draft legal documents.
The 29-year-old, says he was facing mounting work pressures and looming deadlines, and was forced to turn to ChatGPT as a means to alleviate the burden. But what seemed like a harmless solution quickly turned into a nightmare, as the AI tool allegedly fabricated fictitious situations in a legal document Crabill submitted to his boss and filed with the Colorado court.
According to Crabill, he had used ChatGPT before for dependable research and had intended to enhance a legal motion by incorporating precise details from Colorado case law.
However, in his haste to meet the demanding workload assigned by his superiors, he explained to the court that failed to verify the AI's work. This resulted in false references to non-existent legal cases being included in the document.
Crabil lev eventually came clean to the presiding judge and admitted to using the AI chatbot to enhance the document. As a result, he was not only suspended from his job but also faced disciplinary action as the judge notified higher authorities.
Despite the consequences he now faces, Crabill maintains his faith in the capacities of AI to enhance the effectiveness of legal professionals. In fact, he has taken the bold step of founding his own company that leverages AI for legal services. In his view, his use of ChatGPT is no different from the commonplace use of Google in professional settings.
But this is not the first time AI has caused problems for lawyers.
In June, a law firm in New York was fined $5,000 for using ChatGPT to create a court brief that referenced non-existent cases and opinions. This raises questions about the reliability and accuracy of AI tools in the legal field.
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Crabill's case serves as a cautionary tale for other lawyers who may be tempted to rely on AI to meet demanding workloads. While the intentions may be innocent, the consequences can be severe.
As for Crabill, he hopes to continue using AI in his legal practice and to prove that it can be a valuable tool for lawyers, if used responsibly.