California Bar Adopts First-of-Its-Kind Guidance on AI for Attorneys

This memorandum sets forth the Committee on Professional Responsibility and Conduct’s
(COPRAC) initial recommendations regarding lawyer use of generative AI. In short, COPRAC
believes that the existing Rules of Professional Conduct are robust, and the standards of
conduct cover the landscape of issues presented by generative AI in its current forms. However,
COPRAC recognizes that generative AI is a rapidly evolving technology that presents novel
issues that might necessitate new regulation and rules in the future.

As an initial step, COPRAC has developed, and recommends that the Board adopt Practical
Guidance for the Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence in the Practice of Law to assist lawyers
in navigating their ethical obligations when using generative AI. COPRAC envisions that the
Practical Guidance will be a living document that is periodically updated as the technology
evolves and matures, and new issues are presented.

(Many thanks to Alexis V. for sharing)