Don’t Let AI Be Your Only Legal Counsel: Why Real Attorneys Matter More Than Ever

            With tools like ChatGPT and Google Gemini offering to draft contracts, summarize case law, and answer legal questions in seconds, it’s easy to wonder whether you still need a lawyer.

            But here’s the truth: AI is just a tool—not a legal advisor—and using it as your only source of legal guidance can lead to costly, avoidable mistakes.

Legal Hallucinations and Jurisdictional Gaps

            AI doesn’t just get things wrong—it gets them wrong confidently.

            AI tools are known to “hallucinate” fake cases, statutes, and quotes. They may misstate the law or claim that a case supports your argument when it says the opposite. These errors aren’t just theoretical. In Mata v. Avianca, Inc. (2023), attorneys were sanctioned $5,000 for submitting a brief drafted by ChatGPT that contained fabricated case law. The brief attributed the fake decisions to real judges. In Park v. Kim (2023), another attorney faced disciplinary action for filing a brief with AI-generated citations.

            Even when AI references real cases, it may misrepresent what they actually say—leading to costly strategic missteps.

Privacy and Confidentiality Risks

            Perhaps the most overlooked risk of relying on AI to do your legal work? Your data isn’t private. When you input personal or sensitive information into public AI tools, your data may be logged, stored, and used to train future models. AI platforms don’t offer attorney-client privilege. AI tool providers owe you no duty. Anything you type into an AI tool could be discoverable in litigation, end up part of the court record, or be considered an admission against you.

            And let’s not forget: AI doesn’t know what facts matter to your legal issue. It won’t flag missing information or assess legal relevance. It doesn’t know what you’re not telling it. So if you give it the wrong inputs—or leave out key details—you’ll get an answer that might sound convincing but could be legally useless or even dangerous. Garbage in, garbage out.

AI Can’t Tailor, Strategize, or Read the Room

            AI tools typically deliver boilerplate templates and generic answers. But legal issues are rarely one-size-fits-all. What looks fine on paper may be unenforceable, commercially impractical, or flat-out wrong for your specific facts, industry, or jurisdiction. A clause that works in a major city might violate a small-town ordinance. An AI-drafted contract might omit critical protections or contradict your goals—problems you often don’t discover until a deal falls apart or a dispute erupts.

            Even when AI gets the law right, it lacks strategy, judgment, and insight. It can’t weigh trade-offs, ask follow-up questions, or adjust to changing circumstances. It won’t warn you when you’re headed for trouble.

            Legal issues aren’t just legal—they’re human. Negotiation, trust, timing, and emotion all matter. AI can’t read the room, build rapport, or pivot mid-conversation. These are uniquely human skills—skills our attorneys bring to every client relationship.

A Smarter Way to Use AI: With a Lawyer’s Guidance

            Think of AI like WebMD. It might help you understand a symptom, but you wouldn’t perform your own surgery. The same logic applies to law.

            At Porter Simon Law firm, we embrace technology where it makes us more efficient—but never at the expense of sound legal judgment, strategy, or client protection. We will always put your goals and interests at the center of our work, ensuring accuracy and sound judgment to get you the best outcome.

            If you ask an AI whether you should hire a lawyer, it’ll say: “Yes—if your legal issue is complex or high-stakes.” In our experience, most legal issues are complex and high-stakes.

Ready for Reliable Legal Advice?

            When your rights, assets, or business are on the line, don’t rely on digital guesswork. We’re here to guide you with experience, foresight, and advocacy. Contact us today for a consultation—and let’s do it right the first time.

 

          Irina Naduhovskaya a civil litigator at Porter Simon, where she specializes in unlawful detainer and other real property matters. Irina is licensed in California. She can be reached at irina@portersimon.com or http://www.portersimon.com