LawPulse

New AI usage policies adopted for the Illinois Bar Journal and the ISBA’s newsletters.

The Illinois Bar Journal Editorial Board adopted policies on the use of artificial intelligence when writing for the Illinois Bar Journal (IBJ) and ISBA section and committee newsletters.

When writing for the IBJ, authors may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools for researching, proofreading, and editing, but not for the writing of articles.

The AI policy for ISBA newsletters is more flexible. Newsletter articles may be written by AI tools so long as authors behind them accept responsibility for the accuracy of final drafts. The Illinois Bar Journal Editorial Board adopted both policies unanimously on June 12 during the ISBA’s Annual Meeting in St. Louis.

Differences & distinctions

The board began discussing adoption of AI policies during the ISBA Midyear Meeting in December 2025 and formed a subcommittee to present draft policies to the full board. Along the way, the subcommittee sought feedback from the ISBA Standing Committee on Artificial Intelligence & the Practice of Law. The ISBA’s general counsel also provided feedback and revisions.

As the IBJ’s AI policy states, the IBJ is “designed to showcase an author’s unique and personal interest, perspectives, skills, and contributions to a topic. Accordingly, it is the expectation … that all articles submitted for publication are not only legally and factually accurate, but that they also reflect the considered views, analyses, and opinions of the author.”

Although powerful AI technology is quickly evolving, flawed AI outputs continue to cause embarrassment. News outlets, academic and research institutions, and book publishers continue to debate the differences between AI tools that lend a writer a helping hand and tools that perform tasks mimicking authorship.

ISBA sections and committees publish 51 different newsletters devoted to dozens of topics and areas of law, with each newsletter producing multiple issues per year. While ISBA newsletters publish many in-depth articles, newsletters also publish summaries and lists of legislation, court opinions, and other similar digests that AI tools tend to excel at producing. Newsletters are overseen by ISBA councils and committees that appoint editors who write, solicit, and approve articles for publication. Newsletters are also allowed to reprint articles from other sources.

The IBJ relies on a rotation of columnists, authors who submit articles, and freelance writers who work on assignment. Its most in-depth articles are published only after peer review and several rounds of revisions and editing. The IBJ only publishes original content (apart from the occasional excerpt of an outstanding newsletter article) and owns the copyright to every published piece.

Further discussion planned

During discussion and passage of the new AI policies, board members also debated: 1) whether and the extent to which violations should lead to sanctions and even disciplinary reporting; and 2) to what extent authors should disclose to readers their use of AI. The board plans to address these matters with amendments to the policies later this year.

To see the recently adopted AI policies read our IBJ Article Submission Guidelines and Newsletter Submission Guidelines.

Have something to say?

Those interested in providing feedback on the newly adopted AI policies for the IBJ and ISBA newsletters are encouraged to leave comments at our June 2026 Illinois Bar Journal.

Pete Sherman is managing editor of the Illinois Bar Journal.
psherman@isba.org