Explain the choices in a power of attorney before it is signed
Key facts
- Human involvement
- YellowClose supervision
- How AI is used
- From the choices the lawyer has written down, list who would act, when the power would start, and which subjects it would cover. Do not write the power.
- What the lawyer must review
- You write the power and you explain it. Model Rule 1.4(b) requires an explanation sufficient for the client to decide. The Uniform Law Commission page describes a model act. It is not state law, and no state execution statute was opened. Do not tell the client that a choice is valid because the model contains it. Formal Opinion 512 applies if the draft choices are put into a tool. The explanation is not the instrument.
- Written for / version
- United States versionUS
Who does what
| Role | What they do |
|---|---|
| Assistance | Consider narrowly defined preparation support after confirming the tool’s capability and permitted scope. |
| Lawyer | Set the scope, supervise the work closely, verify every part relied on, resolve omissions and exceptions, and approve the exact output. |
Checklist
- Verify the applicable jurisdiction and the version of each relevant law, rule or instrument in force at the material time.
- Confirm the output against the client’s instructions and the complete relevant source material, including omissions or contradictions.
- Resolve exceptions and record the responsible lawyer’s approval of the exact output and intended use.