AI tools like ChatGPT are becoming more prevalent in the legal industry — but not always in the right way.

We’re now seeing clients come to us with AI-generated legal advice or documents — and while these tools can sound convincing, the results are often inaccurate, incomplete, or legally ineffective. Here’s what we’re seeing:

• AI doesn’t understand how different pieces of legislation interact, leading to advice that misses crucial legal nuances.

• Draft agreements may look polished, but they often don’t achieve the intended legal effect — and it can cost more to fix them than to start from scratch.

• Telltale signs of AI-drafted documents?

– Reads like a textbook

– Uses American spelling

– Long, generic paragraphs that don’t reflect how real lawyers write or reason

So, what’s the future of AI in law?

AI can be powerful research and drafting aid, but every output still needs expert legal review. For young lawyers, it’s especially important to develop critical skills first — before becoming dependent on the technology.