Page 19 - Pierce County Lawyer - January February 2025

be used to train other AI models? What
levels of encryption and confidentiality
can be expected? Is the input data logged
for a certain amount of time, or deleted
instantly?
Second, experiment! Different programs
have different capabilities and utilities.
ChatGPT might be great at generating
voir dire questions, for example, while
Lexis AI+ and Westlaw’s CoCounsel are
likely better tools for getting started with
legal research or drafting briefs. Every AI
tool has strengths and weaknesses, which
change over time, and it is up to the user
to identify them. Professor Boling suggests
starting by using AI tools to change the
tone of email drafts or tricky demand
letter paragraphs; try letting it write topic
sentences or eliminate verbiage. Start
slow, see what it can do, and adjust your
approach accordingly.
Third, start learning how best to prompt
and fine-tune the tools to get the most out
of the AI (does this remind you of those
pesky booleans and connectors?). As much
as we love to think of AI as having sentient
intelligence, it is instead a reflection of the
prompts the user generates.
Lastly, and perhaps most importantly,
supervise the output! Although AI tools
may seem (and indeed are) revolutionary,
they are still in their infancy and must
be treated accordingly. Just because part
of what the AI produced is accurate, that
does not mean the entirety is perfect.
While this suggestion may seem obvious,
practitioners nationwide are already facing
the consequences of submitting inaccurate
AI work to the court.
It behooves us all to become familiar with
next-gen legal technology. Professors
Boling and Thompson have one last note
for law students and practitioners alike:
be aware that AI may not be universally
accepted. While one client may love
using AI for cost-saving, another may
not appreciate its use. While some firms
may emphasize the use of AI, others may
shy away. Ultimately, AI is but another
instrument in the toolbelt of lawyers; it
might be the right fit for some jobs and not
for others.
Kathryn Boling is an Assistant
Professor of Law and the Director
of the Legal Writing Program.
She can be reached via email at
kboling@seattleu.edu
LeighAnne Thompson is the Law
Library Associate Director of
Digital Innovation, an Adjunct
Professor, and the Associate
Director of the Technology,
Innovation Law and Ethics
Program. She can be reached via
email at thompsol@seattleu.edu
Owen Leupold is a 2L at Seattle
University School of Law. He can
be reached at leupoldo@seattleu.
edu
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