Alabama: AI rules for lawyers

What this means for lawyers

The Alabama State Bar has issued Formal Opinion 2026-01, which says AI creates no new ethical duties but applies the existing Alabama Rules of Professional Conduct (competence, confidentiality, supervision, candour, fees, client communication) to generative and agentic AI. It applies to every Alabama lawyer using AI on client matters, whatever the firm size.

Verify every AI-generated citation, statute and factual assertion against an authoritative source before filing. The opinion relies on ABA Formal Op. 512 that submitting unverified AI work can violate Rules 1.1 and 3.3, and tells lawyers to treat an AI draft like a first draft from a first-year associate.

Keep client information out of free consumer AI tools. The opinion says lawyers should avoid entering identifiable client information unless adequate safeguards exist, should obtain informed client consent when confidentiality risks cannot be eliminated, and should prefer closed enterprise tools.

Before every filing, check the specific court's local rules and standing orders for AI disclosure or certification requirements. No Alabama state-wide court rule on AI was found, and the three federal district court sites showed none in their rule and order titles, so the duty is to check each court.

As at 31 October 2026.

Telling the court and the client

• Tell the courtUnclear

  Court disclosure: no rule found. No Alabama Supreme Court rule, administrative order or court policy requiring AI disclosure was found; the Bar opinion says some courts elsewhere require disclosure or certification and tells lawyers to check each court's local rules and standing orders before filing. Individual judges' standing orders were not exhaustively searched.

  Client disclosure/consent: depends.

  The Bar opinion says "no Alabama rule currently mandates disclosure of AI use in all circumstances", but advises considering disclosure where AI drafts documents for courts or opposing parties, client-specific information is entered into an AI system, or AI affects the fee; its billing best practices say to disclose AI use when it affects the fees charged; it also says to obtain informed consent when confidentiality risks cannot be eliminated and to answer honestly if a client asks.

  Artificial Intelligence Use: Best Practices Under Existing Professional Conduct Rules (Formal Opinion 2026-01)

  Rule Changes index
• Tell the clientVaries

  Same basis and sources as above.