What to Do About Legal Clients Using AI

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Printed Dec 3, 2025

AI is already a go-to for shopper authorized questions

In keeping with knowledge from the newest Authorized Tendencies Report, 57% of shoppers say they both have or would use AI to reply their authorized questions. 

There are lots of good causes for the pattern. For one, the know-how is straightforward to make use of and it’s accessible from nearly wherever through cell gadget. AI options present instantaneous and detailed data, typically at no cost. For a lot of potential authorized shoppers, it may be a fast and straightforward strategy to decide whether or not an issue is value pursuing legally. 

One other profit is that AI options are comparatively nameless and personal (although, not with out their dangers, as mentioned beneath). In some circumstances, they save folks from having to succeed in out to somebody a couple of authorized concern that may be tough to speak about. 

Not surprisingly, Gen Z and Millennials are the probably to make use of AI to reply their authorized questions. And since youthful generations are faster to undertake the applied sciences that affect future developments, it’s a observe that’s prone to change into extra widespread as AI grows extra widespread.

In flip, as extra folks use AI applied sciences to discover their authorized issues, typically earlier than they contact a lawyer, these applied sciences might have a rising affect on how they perceive their authorized state of affairs.

How AI is shaping the expertise of working with a lawyer

One of the vital implications for legal professionals is how AIs could also be affecting their agency’s enterprise and their means to get employed. Particularly, legal professionals needs to be involved with the query of high quality (and potential competitors) that AIs present.

Of shoppers who used AI to reply a authorized query: 

Greater than half (53%) felt that their AI had sufficiently answered their authorized query. 
In 28% of circumstances, the AI prompted them to contact a lawyer. 
12% of shoppers have been satisfied that their authorized concern wasn’t value pursuing. 

In different phrases, whereas AIs are capable of fulfill the wants of greater than half of shoppers, they’re additionally advising on whether or not or to not pursue potential authorized issues with a lawyer. 

The plain danger right here is that buyers may very well be making judgments on their authorized state of affairs earlier than getting an opinion from an precise authorized skilled. Nonetheless, there may be an upside; if correct, these options could also be doing legislation corporations a service by pre-screening potential shoppers—saving legal professionals the time and sources that they must spend on consultations with little case potential. (A lot of the legal professionals I do know, nonetheless, would like to make that evaluation for themselves.)

One other implication is that when potential shoppers do attain out to a legislation agency, there’s a very good probability they’re doing so with much more foreknowledge about their authorized downside than they’ve ever had earlier than. If a shopper has already consulted an AI, they’re probably extra knowledgeable of their concern, they might have a way of how they’d wish to proceed with their matter, they usually might even have preconceived expectations of the method concerned. 

For essentially the most half, working with these shoppers gained’t be dissimilar to working with those that have already executed their very own analysis on the web or consulted a pal or member of the family with robust opinions on how a matter ought to be dealt with. However then again, with the sheer quantity of context and data that AIs can reference, legal professionals can count on way more rumour to evaluate and confirm. 

Moreover, for shoppers who’ve already consulted an AI or who’ve thought-about it, legal professionals even have a possibility to strengthen the worth of working with a licensed lawyer, particularly with regards to making the ultimate name on taking a definitive plan of action. 

How are authorized shoppers utilizing AI?

Most questions requested of AI are usually very common queries about particular authorized phrases or about understanding sure authorized necessities. However many are additionally querying about points associated to actual property, contracts, constitutional rights, employment-related points, and site visitors tickets. In actual fact, their questions cowl just about each space of legislation. 

In lots of circumstances, shoppers are even turning to their AI options to tackle the precise authorized work of drafting paperwork:

“I’m already seeing shoppers use ChatGPT and taking its phrase. I had a possible shopper use ChatGPT to clarify the legislation to her and draft paperwork, they usually have been truly fairly on level. Since many legal professionals cost by the hour, shoppers don’t wish to pay for them to draft one thing. They’d reasonably have ChatGPT do it and have a lawyer assessment it.” — Samantha, proprietor at a solo agency working towards in group affiliation legislation, Washington
“A number of shoppers ask generative AI to reply authorized questions or draft authorized paperwork. AIs are often 80% proper however all the time have errors. Drafting authorized paperwork with general-purpose AI instruments, it finally ends up being a phrase salad of well-written sentences that aren’t purposeful. I’ve to learn them with further care.” — Ken, lawyer at a small company and transactional agency, California
“The very fact is that legal professionals cost shoppers for lots of duties that may be higher and extra effectively dealt with by automation and AI. As shoppers notice this, they’ll refuse to pay legal professionals hundreds of {dollars} per hour to carry out duties that a pc might simply deal with for nearly nothing.” — Jerry, proprietor at a solo enterprise litigation agency, California

(Observe: The above quotations use pseudonyms and are taken from interviews carried out for the Authorized Tendencies Report.)

However whereas value is an element for a lot of shoppers, they need to know that utilizing AI is just not an alternative to working with a licensed authorized practitioner who’s well-versed within the related areas of the legislation. 

Speaking the dangers to shoppers utilizing AI

Shoppers (and authorized professionals) ought to know that common function AI options—the categories most generally accessible—have inherent dangers to these searching for authorized recommendation. In actual fact, OpenAI just lately up to date its utilization insurance policies to make it clear that ChatGPT is not for use for authorized recommendation.

Other than the apparent legal responsibility points, listed below are some vital explanation why shoppers (and legislation corporations) needs to be cautious of utilizing general-purpose AI options to reply authorized questions: 

AI options are inclined to hallucinations, which means that they might reference precedent circumstances that don’t exist to tell an opinion or recommendation. For the shopper, this might make them have a false understanding of their authorized state of affairs. For the lawyer, this might additionally create potential misunderstandings to make clear with shoppers, and which will be verified with an AI educated particularly for authorized analysis. 
The overall-purpose options utilized by shoppers haven’t been educated on up-to-date case legislation, which signifies that any response they supply may very well be primarily based on legislation that’s outdated or no-longer related. It’s vital that legal professionals have their very own database of up-to-date case legislation to reference and confirm. 
Many free or low-tier subscriptions to those companies don’t present any privateness ensures, which means that the data they supply can be utilized in coaching future fashions and may very well be served up in responses to different customers. Whereas this poses a danger to shoppers utilizing these options, it is a danger that legal professionals also needs to concentrate on ought to they be utilizing these options of their observe—since they’ve the utmost of duty with regards to the privateness of their shoppers’ data. 

In fact, past the technical points, AIs gained’t have the mandatory real-world context—the sort you get when assembly a shopper face-to-face—to supply correct authorized recommendation. AIs will readily present data that’s seemingly authoritative, and in lots of circumstances, that pander to what customers might wish to hear. This may result in misunderstanding and overconfidence in an strategy that will not be within the shopper’s greatest curiosity, particularly if important particulars get missed. 

Lastly, AI options should not regulated by any skilled physique and don’t have any obligations to the outcomes of their customers. Attributable to their disclaimers, additionally they take no duty for any damaging outcomes or dangers that customers tackle on account of their recommendation. 

Evidently shoppers are conscious of those dangers, as many are skeptical of using AI in legislation corporations.

Shoppers maintain legal professionals to the next customary on AI

Whereas many authorized shoppers are keen to show to AI for perspective on their authorized issues, most additionally take concern with legal professionals who use the know-how: 

47% should not snug with the thought of legal professionals utilizing AI to make choices on shopper circumstances
36% are much less prone to belief a lawyer who makes use of AI
56% would like {that a} lawyer use a paralegal as a substitute of AI for assist on a case 
78% need their legal professionals to reveal their use of AI 

However whereas shoppers might have issues with legal professionals utilizing AI, they probably aren’t conscious that there are devoted, legal-specific AI options that provide much more confidence when utilized by licensed authorized professionals. 

Whereas shopper AI options like ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude don’t have the flexibility to entry up-to-date case legislation, devoted authorized AIs, like Clio Work, have been educated on proprietary authorized databases. Clio Work provides an enormous, expertly curated database of over one billion verified authorized paperwork, from greater than 100 nations, that features: 

Major legislation, secondary sources, and unique publications from throughout jurisdictions
Historic variations of statutes and laws to make sure you all the time cite the best legislation on the proper time
Procedural and observe guidelines, together with printed state and federal frameworks resembling civil process and proof
Professional commentary and evaluation from books, journals, and observe guides that add depth and interpretation

Along with an enormous library of authorized content material, Clio Work options devoted workflows to refine analysis queries and draft summaries, technique overviews, and authorized briefings. All the content material generated by Clio Work contains detailed citations in order that they are often cross-checked and verified in parallel whereas reviewing. 

On the coronary heart of the matter, shoppers finally wish to work with a authorized skilled they’ll belief, and all the higher after they know their lawyer has taken the time to vet the options that may assist them ship the very best authorized product attainable. 

In actual fact, some legal professionals discover that in working with their shoppers, most don’t have robust emotions on them utilizing AI so long as the outcomes are good. 

“Shoppers have an interest within the outcomes: the completed doc, the end result, the abstract. So far as the way you get there, whether or not sitting by hours of video and studying hundreds of pages of police studies, or whether or not a machine does it for me, they don’t appear to care or recognize it.” — Ivan, a accomplice at a small felony protection legislation agency, California
“I don’t particularly inform shoppers, ‘This was generated by AI.’ However I’ve seen that shoppers are proud of the standard of the work, product, and readability.” — Sebastian, proprietor of a small legislation agency working in actual property, building disputes, and transactions, California

Easy methods to cope with authorized shoppers utilizing AI 

With the widespread availability of AI options, the bar is greater for everybody. Shoppers have entry to extra data than ever earlier than, they usually count on an excellent greater customary of experience from the authorized professionals that they work with. 

For these shoppers, when on the lookout for a lawyer, they’re much less prone to be offered on the precise authorized data {that a} lawyer supplies and extra on different elements like worth, high quality of service, and comfort. 

As the character of information work evolves with know-how, it’s going to change into extra clear who’s maintaining with these new benchmarks, and who’s falling behind. 

Within the meantime, listed below are a couple of steps that legislation corporations can take to raised put together themselves for working with authorized shoppers which are already utilizing AI: 

Be ready for shoppers who might have already got a very good understanding of their authorized concern and will have even used an AI to draft authorized documentation. These shoppers will not be on the lookout for as in-depth a session and are probably attempting to economize. For AI-generated doc opinions, legislation corporations might look to regulate the scope of their companies to work with all these shoppers primarily based on an preliminary analysis of the documentation. 
Discover AI analysis options which are outfitted to confirm shopper understandings rapidly, as they might have been knowledgeable by a shopper AI resolution like ChatGPT, which could not have the best context or background into a problem. A devoted authorized analysis resolution will even be certain that corporations have up-to-date entry to the newest authorized databases and the instruments to rapidly floor and confirm queries and drafted content material. 
Be ready to handle conversations with shoppers concerning the dangers of utilizing consumer-based AI options for authorized recommendation. These options aren’t designed to exchange the recommendation of a licensed authorized skilled, and in lots of circumstances, utilizing them for this function truly goes in opposition to their utilization insurance policies. 
Reinforce the worth of working with a licensed authorized skilled who will take the time to grasp the difficulty at hand, together with the entire related context that goes into offering credible authorized recommendation. 

The worth of authorized professionals utilizing AI

It’s no secret: Shoppers are consulting AI options to get perception into their authorized issues, typically earlier than contacting an precise lawyer. As they bring about extra knowledgeable understanding of their points, they’re shifting the dynamics of the lawyer-client relationship.

Regulation corporations can higher adapt and put together for these shifts by taking sensible steps to assist meet the evolving expectations of shoppers. Removed from being a legal responsibility for authorized professionals, the benefits to utilizing AI needs to be a key worth level for legal professionals when selling their companies to potential shoppers. 

Particularly, using AI can finally yield for shoppers: 

Higher, greater high quality authorized work
Extra well timed and responsive communications
Higher, extra environment friendly workflows, that in lots of circumstances might find yourself being cheaper 

These key advantages, along with the in depth privateness and safety ensures offered (for instance, Clio won’t practice its AI fashions on any private knowledge dealt with by legislation corporations or utilized in any queries) needs to be used as key factors to coach on the worth of utilizing authorized AI options for shopper work. 

Along with working with a legal-specific AI resolution with entry to deep data networks of authorized reference supplies, working inside a platform like Clio additionally offers you the good thing about having the ability to reference your case and shopper data in your analysis queries. 

Clio Handle and Clio Work function seamlessly with one another to determine key case and shopper particulars, which supplies the vital context to carry out extra knowledgeable analysis. Clio Work will interpret paperwork, notes, duties, deadlines, and communications in Clio Handle to create detailed case evaluation and analysis. Go to www.clio.com/work to study extra.