Article explores AI and legal ethics in Los Angeles County Bar publication

As new technology makes it simpler and faster for lawyers to incorporate AI into daily practice, BCLP Senior Counsel John W. Amberg authored the article “Artificial Intelligence Goes to Court” for the Los Angeles County Bar Association’s newsletter. His piece examines the ethical and legal risks of lawyers and experts relying on generative AI tools, especially when those tools produce false or “hallucinated” citations.

“AI is not a substitute for a lawyer’s critical thinking skills and judgment,” John writes. “To avoid damage to your client, professional embarrassment, and sanctions, do not file anything in a court that a lawyer has not personally researched and verified. If the court questions you about your AI usage, answer truthfully. And if you have presented fake citations, do not expect to be forgiven.”

Chair of BCLP’s U.S. Ethics Committee, John is a recognized authority on professional responsibility. He has written the annual California legal ethics review for Los Angeles Lawyer magazine for more than 20 years and regularly speaks and writes on ethics topics for the Los Angeles County Bar Association, American Bar Association and other legal organizations.

In addition to his ethics leadership, John is a member of BCLP’s Commercial Dispute Resolution, Class Action and Product Liability practices. He has tried and arbitrated cases throughout California and frequently serves as an expert witness on legal ethics and professional liability matters.

Read the full article here, reprinted with permission from the Los Angeles County Bar Association.