Attorney AI Tools — Client Disclosure and Engagement Addendum
ATTORNEY AI TOOLS — CLIENT DISCLOSURE AND ENGAGEMENT ADDENDUM
Table of Contents
- Parties and Effective Date
- Purpose of This Disclosure
- Description of AI Tools That May Be Used
- Specific Categories of Use in This Matter
- Confidentiality Safeguards
- Attorney Supervision and Verification
- Billing Practices for AI-Assisted Work
- State-Specific Guidance
- Client Opt-Out Right
- Client Acknowledgment and Signatures
1. Parties and Effective Date
Effective Date: [__/__/____]
Attorney / Firm: [________________________________]
Client Name: [________________________________]
Matter / File No.: [________________________________]
This addendum supplements and is incorporated into the engagement letter dated [__/__/____].
2. Purpose of This Disclosure
Consistent with the firm's duties of competence (ABA Model Rule 1.1) and communication (ABA Model Rule 1.4), the firm provides this disclosure regarding its use of generative artificial intelligence ("AI") tools in your representation. This addendum explains what AI tools may be used, how your confidential information is protected, how AI-assisted work is billed, and your right to decline AI use in your matter.
3. Description of AI Tools That May Be Used
The firm may use one or more of the following categories of AI tools:
☐ General-purpose generative AI assistants (e.g., enterprise ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot)
☐ Legal-specific AI research platforms (e.g., Westlaw Precision AI, Lexis+ AI, vLex Vincent)
☐ Document review and e-discovery AI (technology-assisted review, predictive coding)
☐ Drafting and contract-analysis tools (e.g., Harvey, Spellbook, Ironclad)
☐ Transcription, summarization, and meeting-note tools
☐ Other: [________________________________]
Specific tools approved for this matter: [________________________________]
Vendor(s): [________________________________]
4. Specific Categories of Use in This Matter
AI WILL be used to assist with:
☐ Initial legal research and identification of relevant authority
☐ Drafting first drafts of correspondence, memoranda, or routine pleadings
☐ Summarizing depositions, transcripts, or document productions
☐ Reviewing and organizing large document sets
☐ Generating timelines, outlines, or issue lists
☐ Proofreading and stylistic editing
☐ Other: [________________________________]
AI WILL NOT be used for:
☐ Final legal judgment, strategic decisions, or substantive advice to the client
☐ Filing any document without attorney review and verification
☐ Communicating directly with opposing counsel, courts, or third parties
☐ Decisions requiring the exercise of independent professional judgment
☐ Other: [________________________________]
5. Confidentiality Safeguards
The firm will protect your confidential information under ABA Model Rule 1.6 by:
☐ Using only AI tools whose terms of service prohibit use of client inputs for model training
☐ Using enterprise or business-tier accounts with contractual confidentiality protections
☐ Anonymizing or redacting identifying information before submission where practicable
☐ Restricting access to firm-approved tools and authorized personnel only
☐ Maintaining a written firm AI-use policy and vendor-vetting log
☐ Other: [________________________________]
Acknowledged risk: No safeguard eliminates risk entirely. Inputs to third-party AI vendors necessarily leave the firm's direct control. By signing below, the client acknowledges that they have been informed of these residual risks.
6. Attorney Supervision and Verification
The attorney remains fully responsible for all work product, regardless of whether AI was used in its preparation, consistent with ABA Model Rules 5.1 and 5.3. Specifically:
- A licensed attorney will review all AI-generated content for accuracy, completeness, and applicability before it is delivered to the client, opposing party, or any tribunal.
- All citations generated or suggested by AI will be independently verified against primary sources before any filing or transmission. AI tools are known to "hallucinate" — i.e., to generate plausible-looking but fictitious cases, statutes, or quotations. The firm's verification protocol is designed to detect and exclude such errors.
- AI output does not substitute for the attorney's independent professional judgment.
7. Billing Practices for AI-Assisted Work
The firm's billing practices for AI-assisted work in this matter:
- No double-billing. The firm bills only for actual time spent, including the time required to draft, review, verify, and revise AI-assisted work. Time saved by AI is passed to the client as efficiency.
- AI subscription / tool cost. ☐ Treated as firm overhead and not separately charged. ☐ Passed through as an expense at actual cost: $[____] per [hour / matter / use]. ☐ Other: [________________________________]
- Per-use vendor fees (if any) charged on a usage basis will be itemized on invoices as a cost.
- The client may request a description of how AI was used on any given task or invoice line.
8. State-Specific Guidance
The firm's AI practices conform to applicable jurisdictional guidance, including (where relevant):
☐ California — State Bar Practical Guidance for the Use of Generative AI
☐ New York — NYSBA Task Force Report on Artificial Intelligence
☐ Texas — State Bar of Texas Professional Ethics Committee Opinion on generative AI
☐ Florida — The Florida Bar Ethics Opinion 24-1
☐ Other jurisdiction guidance: [________________________________]
If standing orders or local rules in the court(s) handling this matter require disclosure of AI use in filings, the firm will comply with those orders.
9. Client Opt-Out Right
You have the right to instruct the firm not to use generative AI tools in your representation, in whole or in part. An opt-out may affect timing or cost but will not affect the quality of representation.
Client Election:
☐ I consent to the firm's use of AI tools as described above.
☐ I consent only to the following limited uses: [________________________________]
☐ I decline AI-assisted work in this matter.
You may revoke or modify this election at any time by written notice to the firm.
10. Client Acknowledgment and Signatures
By signing below, the client acknowledges receipt of this disclosure, the opportunity to ask questions, and agreement with the elections marked above.
Client Signature: ________________________________ Date: [__/__/____]
Client Printed Name: [________________________________]
Attorney Signature: ________________________________ Date: [__/__/____]
Attorney Printed Name: [________________________________]
Sources and References
About This Template
Practice management documents are the internal paperwork that runs a law firm: intake forms, engagement letters, file management policies, and closing letters. Consistent practice management reduces malpractice risk, speeds up billing, and keeps client relationships organized across the life of a matter. Many bar disciplinary complaints trace back to poor practice management rather than bad lawyering, so these templates directly affect a firm's exposure.
Important Notice
This template is provided for informational purposes. It is not legal advice. We recommend having an attorney review any legal document before signing, especially for high-value or complex matters.
Last updated: May 2026