The increasing use of public generative artificial intelligence (“Gen AI”) tools in legal practice presents significant risks relating to confidentiality, legal professional privilege, data protection, and the accuracy of AI-generated outputs. This session provides practical guidance on the responsible use of public AI platforms, highlighting the safeguards legal practitioners should adopt before submitting information to AI tools and before relying on AI-generated content. Based on professional conduct obligations and real-world examples, the session examines the risks of disclosure, AI hallucinations, and the continuing duty of lawyers to exercise independent professional judgment.

The session also outlines a practical framework centred on three core principles: protecting confidential information and privileged material before using AI tools, independently verifying all AI outputs and sources, and maintaining lawyer accountability for the final work product. It also discusses common pitfalls when using public AI platforms and offers practical measures to support the safe and responsible adoption of AI in legal practice.