Draft a firm policy on using client documents as AI knowledge
MaintainedLast reviewed
Key facts
- Human involvement
- YellowClose supervision
- How AI is used
- Policy on consent, anonymisation and approved tools.
- What the lawyer must review
- Principal approves; check engagement terms.
- Written for / version
- Written for Australia
The work product
Forum. Australia
Produce. Draft a firm policy on using client documents as AI knowledge
Have ready. LSNSW guide (2026): confidentiality when entering client or firm documents into AI; Uniform Law regulators AI statement: do not enter confidential information into public tools; Law Society (E&W): Generative AI – the essentials; The matter instructions and the documents the output will rely on..
Example of the limit. Stop before the result is filed, sent or relied on. Principal approves; check engagement terms.
Stop and hand it back when
- The cited source is not the instrument that applies to this forum or this date.
- The output states a fact, date, citation, figure or commitment that is not in the instructions or the source.
- The responsible lawyer has not approved the exact output for its intended use.
Sources for this task were checked on 2026-10-10.
Who does what
| Role | What they do |
|---|---|
| Assistance | Do not begin AI assistance until the responsible lawyer has defined and confirmed its 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
- Open the cited source and confirm it is the current instrument for this forum and this date.
- Principal approves; check engagement terms.
- Compare the output with the source and the instructions, including material the output left out.
- The responsible lawyer approves the exact output for its intended use, or sends it back.
Sources
- LSNSW guide (2026): confidentiality when entering client or firm documents into AI · 2026-10-10
- Uniform Law regulators AI statement: do not enter confidential information into public tools · 2026-10-10
- Law Society (E&W): Generative AI – the essentials · 2026-10-10
Suggested working checks from the linked public sources. Read the source and confirm it applies to this forum and this date. The checks do not approve software or record that the work is done.