ARDC Releases the Illinois Attorney’s Guide To Implementing AI

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become a powerful tool for legal professionals; capable of analyzing information, summarizing documents, and improving efficiency. Yet it also presents new questions about confidentiality, supervision, and accountability.

To support Illinois lawyers in addressing those questions, the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission (ARDC) has issued the Illinois Attorney’s Guide to Implementing AI, developed in alignment with the Illinois Supreme Court’s Policy on Artificial Intelligence.

The Supreme Court’s policy authorizes lawyers to use AI when they meet their existing ethical duties. The ARDC’s new Guide is designed to help practitioners apply those duties in a technology-driven environment. It provides an accessible overview of how generative AI systems function and a practical framework for evaluating whether (and how) to use them in law practice.

The Guide focuses on three key steps:

• Classifying the information being processed, from general to highly sensitive data.
• Understanding the type of AI tool -- whether it’s managed by a third party or hosted internally.
• Evaluating safeguards such as model-training settings, data retention, isolation, and vendor terms.

It also includes a Practice Resource Kit with sample policies, checklists, and client-communication templates. These materials are adaptable starting points, intended to help lawyers document their reasoning and apply consistent safeguards rather than to prescribe specific methods.

“We heard a consistent message from practitioners: ‘Help us use AI responsibly.’ This Guide responds with explanations and adaptable templates so lawyers can document decisions, protect client information, and strengthen service. It’s about supporting ethical practice, today and as the tools evolve,” said Lea Gutierrez, ARDC Administrator.

By demystifying AI and grounding its use in established professional principles, the ARDC hopes to empower lawyers (especially solo and small-firm practitioners) to make informed, careful decisions that enhance their work and protect their clients.