Document Type

Article

Publication Date

10-2025

Abstract

This short article offers a practical guide for using AI tools to improve the judgment and efficiency of lawyers, mediators, and arbitrators.  It cites ABA Ethics Opinion 512, which describes lawyers’ ethical duty of technological competence under the ABA Model Rules.

The article encourages practitioners to begin by selecting AI tools appropriate to their tasks such as general-purpose platforms or specialized tools listed in the article.  It explains how to write effective prompts, use follow-up questions to refine outputs, and apply professional judgment when reviewing results.  It includes a list of suggested follow-up prompts.

Getting useful results from AI tools requires similar skills used in legal and dispute resolution work – skills that people can improve with practice.  The article includes numerous examples of AI prompts that can be used throughout the life of a case, from preparation to post-session reflection.

It cautions that AI tools can produce inaccurate, misleading, or fabricated content, and urges users to exercise human oversight and to independently verify results.

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