March 2025 Artificial Intelligence & the Practice of Law, Standing Committee on Newsletter

By James E. Coogan

An introduction to the issue from the editor.

A note from the most current ChatGPT model published by OpenAI. 

By George Bellas

“Deepfakes” are altered or completely fabricated AI-generated images, audio, or video, that are also extremely realistic, making them difficult to discern from reality. In a sense, they’re AI’s version of photoshopping. Lawyers need to educate themselves and their firms on what deepfakes are and how to spot them, develop a healthy skepticism of content they encounter, and question its source. Take nothing at face value, and closely scrutinize details of that content to look for anything inconsistent with reality, such as people with more or less than five fingers.

By Michael McCready

Ethical concerns are rightly of primary concern for attorneys using AI tools in their practice. Key among them are data privacy, algorithmic bias, and client confidentiality. Best practices are essential to navigating these challenges.

By Edward J. Jarot Jr. & William D. Lohrman

Carefully drafted policies are especially critical in the setting of a small firm, where the attorney is constantly torn between performing legal services while also balancing the legal and ethical limitations and pitfalls. For all the power that AI offers, small firms are strongly encouraged to develop and refine an express policy for the use of chatbots, generative AI, and the other AI tools currently available, along with those that will be created in the immediate future. This article contains a sample AI policy. 

By Mallory P. Sanzeri

The Illinois State Bar Association’s biennial Allerton Conference is just around the corner, and this year’s theme is one that every legal professional should have on their radar: "Generative Artificial Intelligence – Fact or Fiction: Transforming the Legal Practice." Held from April 2-4, 2025, at the I Hotel & Conference Center in Champaign, IL. Co-hosted by the ISBA Civil Practice and Procedure Section and the ISBA Standing Committee on Artificial Intelligence and the Practice of Law, and sponsored by ISBA Mutual Insurance Company, the conference will feature leading legal scholars, judges, and technology experts discussing the opportunities and challenges AI presents for attorneys.

By Mark C. Palmer

A good lawyer also knows that words which may work wonderfully before a jury could backfire in a brief as inappropriate exaggeration or inflammatory and emotional. As lawyers, we must know our audience. Just how powerful are words in shaping perception and future action? Let us turn to quantum theory to better understand their impact.