From fake cases to first drafts, Professionalism Committee confronts AI in the courtroom
Committee on Professionalism Chair Abby Spears, Center for Professionalism Director Rebecca Bandy, and Vice Chair Judge Carolyn Bell.
Adapting to a legal landscape increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence was a key focus of the Standing Committee on Professionalism’s June 26 meeting at the 2025 Annual Florida Bar Convention.
Chair Abby Spears, of Nason, Yeager, Gerson, Harris & Fumero in Palm Beach Gardens, noted that The Florida Bar Guide to Getting Started with AI, produced by the Special Committee on AI Tools & Resources, offers practical guidance for using AI tools. The guide, rolled out in January, was updated June 18.
Judge Carolyn Bell of the 15th Circuit, the committee’s vice chair, noted that she is increasingly seeing documents produced with the help of AI. Without going into details, she offered the example of a situation currently before the court that is “replete with completely fake cases,” and noted that if a document comes before the court that “you substantially believe or know is false, you have to report it.”
Judge Bell shared a few possible clues that may help to identify AI-produced documents.
Motions produced with AI may have language that is “elevated” compared to the proposed order. Also, documents will have ellipses with important information left out. Another indicator is when the attorney is “stumped” by her questions.
“I think people don’t understand what it is and how it works,” Judge Bell said.
Spears compared the level of work produced by a popular AI law tool to a first draft written by a student summer associate.
AI-checking tools, such as Turnitin and Grammarly, can help to scan documents for errors due to AI use prior to filing, and it was pointed out that high school students are now being trained to use these tools to screen their drafts before submission.
Billing while using AI is an area where questions persist, said Spears.
“AI is here. It’s not only something lawyers are using, but it’s something lawyers should be using,” Bell said.
Other points of note brought forward during the Standing Committee on Professionalism meeting included:
- The latest On Civility podcast features an interview with Florida Bar President Rosalyn Sia Baker-Barnes. The podcast is approved for 1 hour of CLE for Professional / General credit. Course #9233.
- Leadership Academy CLEs are now available for free on LegalFuel.
- The committee invites members to submit two-minute videos for the Pro Tips Tuesdays series. For more information, contact Rebecca Bandy at [email protected] or (850) 561-5646.
