Working with a Lawyer: How to Effectively Use AI (Without Risking Your Case)

We get it—generative AI tools are incredibly helpful. Whether you’re brainstorming business ideas, or trying to make sense of legal jargon, AI can feel like having a superpowered assistant at your fingertips. But when you’re working with a lawyer, it’s important to use these tools wisely—without compromising your rights or your case.

Here’s how to make the most of AI while keeping your legal protections intact:

1. Never Share Confidential Information

AI tools are great at generating content, but they’re not private vaults. Anything you type into a public AI platform could be stored or used to train the AI model—and that means your sensitive information might not stay private. It also means that if you are putting someone else’s sensitive information into it, you could be violating your obligations under any confidentiality or non-disclosure agreement.

What to avoid:

Names, addresses, financial details, health information

Case-specific facts or strategy

Trade secrets

Any information you wouldn’t want shared outside your legal team

If you’re unsure whether something is confidential, err on the side of caution and talk to your lawyer first. If you are using a paid subscription and it is a “closed” system (meaning it only uses your own information and does not learn from the input you provide to the AI), then you may be able to put in more information. However, make sure to read the terms and conditions of the tool very carefully and feel free to ask us any questions.

2. Protect Your Attorney-Client Privilege

Attorney-client privilege is one of the strongest legal protections you have. It ensures that what you share with your lawyer stays between you and your legal team. But using AI tools outside that relationship can unintentionally waive that privilege.

Many law firms—including ours—take extra steps to protect your privacy. You may have noticed that we turn off recording features or AI notetakers. That’s intentional. We’re safeguarding your rights.

3. Use AI for Ideas—Then Ask Your Lawyer

AI can be a fantastic brainstorming partner. Want to explore different ways to structure a business deal? Curious about common clauses in a lease agreement? Go ahead and use AI to get the lay of the land.

But remember: AI doesn’t know your specific situation, and it’s not a licensed attorney. AI also tends to be a “people pleaser,” often reflecting back and magnifying any assumptions inherent in the user’s prompt. Always bring your ideas to us so we can tailor them to your goals and ensure they’re legally sound applied to your specific context.

4. Leave the Drafting to Us

While AI can help you explore concepts or generate rough outlines, legal drafting is more than just filling in blanks. Every word in a contract, agreement, or filing carries weight—and the wrong phrasing can lead to costly consequences. We understand the nuances, the risks, and the protections that need to be built into your documents. So if you’re tempted to finalize something with AI, pause and let us take it from there. That’s what we’re here for.