A recent study with endoscopy specialists in Poland found that their ability to detect pre‑cancerous lesions during colonoscopy declined after they got used to relying on an AI‑assisted tool: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-01947-1

It is just one study, so it is too early to generalize. But it is a strong signal of how speed, comfort, and over‑reliance on machines can dull attention and practical skills.

Lawyers are not immune to this risk. Keeping our expertise sharp may mean continuing to read long academic texts, case law, and legislation ourselves; taking handwritten notes; and having face‑to‑face conversations as much as possible.

How are you trying to prevent “deskilling” in your own profession?

#AI #HealthTech #LegalTech #LawFedi #Deskilling

#LegalEthics Tidbit: How can my #AI misuse be “knowing” if I didn’t know the citations were fake?

An attorney who was in a hurry used #AI to draft a brief in AL federal court and the result was a bunch of fabricated citations. The court gave the lawyer a public reprimand, while noting that it wasn’t sure if the hallucinations were “knowing” misstatements of the law, and thus violations of Rule 3.3 (candor to the tribunal), because the AL Supreme ...(cont.)

https://www.oscn.net/applications/oscn/DeliverDocument.asp?CiteID=551746 #law #lawfedi

#LegalEthics Tidbit: Can I represent both parents in a case involving parental abuse?

After a doctor determined that a child’s injuries were likely the result of child abuse by the mother or her boyfriend, both were arrested. A GA attorney met with the couple and told them he could represent both of them “as long as nobody was pointing a finger at one another,” but he never told them of the risks of joint representation. The lawyer initially ... (cont.)

https://www.gasupreme.us/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/s25a1367.pdf
#law #lawfedi

Here’s a very accessible explication of how Trump is trying to use the USPS to control voting in the midterms, how unconstitutional it is, why we can’t count on the Roberts court to respect that obvious point, and how much power states clearly have to run elections as they choose to and therefore to circumvent Trump and any rulings from the corrupt Supreme Court. https://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/anti-constitution-extortion-and-trumps-vote-rigging-schemes/sharetoken/e5823db5-35ff-42f4-8af0-c3a8926515e6

I also like Josh Marshall’s name for states who fight the Trump regime: Free States. #LawFedi

#LegalEthics Tidbit: Can I escape sanctions for citing a fake case if I show the court a big stack of all the real cases I cited?

An OH lawyer submitted a brief citing at least four cases that the court could not find. The Court ordered her to produce PDF copies of the four cases or an explanation as to why she could not. She failed to respond on time, so the court initiated contempt proceedings. She subsequently submitted a giant ... (cont.)

https://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/bpccm/Case?caseId=1a454e52-88c9-44f9-94c2-ab9814f04f26
#law #lawfedi #AI

#LegalEthics Tidbit: Can I represent co-conspirators in a drug distribution criminal case?

A VA attorney was appointed to represent Defendant A, who was alleged to have traveled to WV to purchase illegal drugs from Defendant B, with whom he has a close relationship. The same attorney later agreed to also represent Defendant B. The Court was concerned about this because “[e]ach co-conspirator likely has confidential information about ... (cont.)

https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.vawd.135139/gov.uscourts.vawd.135139.53.0.pdf
#law #lawfedi

#LegalEthics Tidbit: Can the court sanction a contract attorney who drafted a brief with #AI hallucinations, but who never appeared in the case?

An IL immigration attorney submitted a brief to the 7th Circuit. Over half the cases cited did not exist or were falsely labeled as 7th Cir. case, and almost every quotation was incorrect. It also cited fake facts – for instance claiming the client’s children were “deeply integrated into local ... (cont.)

https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.ca7.54134/gov.uscourts.ca7.54134.46.0.pdf
#law #lawfedi

#LegalEthics Tidbit: If an attorney violates Rule 4.2 to get a represented party to sign a document, is the document automatically void?

A MS wife hired counsel and filed for divorce on the basis of inhumane treatment. A month later, the wife and husband filed a new case in the same court, a joint complaint signed by both parties for divorce based on “irreconcilable differences,” along with agreements for custody, etc... The chancellor ... (cont.)

https://lnkd.in/dPyhwZxq
#lawfedi #law

#LegalEthics Tidbit: Can I assume my interns are not using #AI if I never talk to them about it?

A WA attorney left his legal research for a habeas petition to interns. The interns turned to Google Gemini, which “confidently presented” some 9th circuit precedent that would have been great if it hadn’t been completely fabricated. The interns didn’t tell the lawyer they were using AI, and the lawyer didn’t bother to check ... (cont.)

https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.wawd.360188/gov.uscourts.wawd.360188.23.0.pdf
#law #lawfedi

#LegalEthics Tidbit: If I get my client’s case on file before the statute of limitations runs out, how could I have lacked diligence?

Following an accident, an OK couple hired an attorney for a personal injury case in 2016. The lawyer filed a complaint but then withdrew it, all without telling the client. In 2019, the couple paid a surprise visit to the lawyer, after which he finally filed the case. The following year, the couple learned ... (cont.)

https://lnkd.in/eefDE36J
#Law #lawfedi