Roger Plawker Discusses AI and the Changing Landscape of the Unauthorized Practice of Law with Law.com
Roger Plawker, chair of the Attorney Ethics & Professional Misconduct practice group at Pashman Stein Walder Hayden P.C., was recently quoted in a Law.com article titled, “Got $29? AI-Driven Platform Makes Filing a Lawsuit Easy. But Is It Legal?” The article discusses the legal and ethical questions surrounding artificial intelligence platforms that assist users with preparing legal documents. The article examines Petty Lawsuit, an AI-powered platform that helps users draft legal complaints and other court filings while disclaiming that it is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Plawker noted that such disclaimers may not be dispositive as AI becomes increasingly capable of providing guidance that consumers perceive as legal advice.
“Certainly, now, with AI, users seek and typically receive what appears an awful lot like legal advice, disclaimers notwithstanding. But should the important question of what constitutes the unauthorized practice of law be reduced to the question ‘If it walks like a duck …?’” said Plawker.
Plawker noted, "legal services are seen by many as unfairly limited by wealth disparities. Some people champion the self-help guidance now available through AI, a viewpoint that is difficult to argue with."
“Ultimately, in the new reality of AI, the definition of the practice of law will have to incorporate the consumer’s objectively reasonable understanding and expectation, as it already does, in the context of whether an attorney-client relationship exists. Caveat emptor will be an inevitable part of the analysis in light of the disclaimers and common sense,” Plawker said.
To read the full article in Law.com, click here.
