This is no joke. ChatGPT can get you in a lot of trouble unless it is used responsibly.
Ask the federal judge in MD who fined a law firm $5K for including fictitious case references in a brief based on ChatGPT research. Ask another judge in NY who sanctioned lawyers for the same offense. You do not want to become a case study.
Time is precious. I understand that. Every lawyer would like to cut down on the time it takes to research the law and report that research in memoranda, briefs, opinion letters, etc. It can be very time consuming. Shortcuts like ChatGPT might save you time but can be heavy on costs that definitely are not worth it. Think money and jobs.
So start right here by using your time wisely. Take a few minutes to read this article:
https://abovethelaw.com/2023/06/do-not-i-repeat-do-not-use-chatgpt-for-legal-research/
You will come away understanding what ChatGPT is and how to prudently use it and keep yourself out of trouble. For example you will read that:
ChatGPT is NOT a Legal Research Substitute.
But ChatGPT can do a lot of things that can help lawyers responsibly.
Your Ethical Obligations as a lawyer are of paramount concern and must be taken seriously
The author of this article is trying to help you. Be responsible and accept the help!
