---
title: "Using generative AI in Illinois legal practice: ethics checklist"
url: "https://ailawframework.com/precedents/ai-decision-systems/us-il-genai-ethics-checklist"
type: "precedent"
site: "AI Law Framework"
id: "a45-us-il-genai-ethics-checklist"
area_id: "A45"
kind: "checklist"
ai_level: "yellow"
version: 1
law_stated_as_at: "2026-11-08"
---

# Using generative AI in Illinois legal practice: ethics checklist

> Checklist of what Illinois's own sources say about lawyers using generative AI: the Supreme Court's AI Policy authorises use, needs no disclosure in pleadings and requires review, and the ARDC guide matches tool…

Canonical page: https://ailawframework.com/precedents/ai-decision-systems/us-il-genai-ethics-checklist  
Law stated as at: 2026-11-08

Site index for agents: https://ailawframework.com/llms.txt

Checklist of what Illinois's own sources say about lawyers using generative AI: the Supreme Court's AI Policy authorises use, needs no disclosure in pleadings and requires review, and the ARDC guide matches tool security to data.

## Key facts

- Kind: Checklist. Steps or checks to work through and tick off.
- Practice area: [AI decision systems](https://ailawframework.com/precedents/ai-decision-systems.md)
- Jurisdictions: United States, Illinois
- AI level: Yellow. You and the tool draft together, with you directing. You check every statement you rely on.
- Law stated as at: 2026-11-08
- Status: Maintained. Checked on 2026-11-08 against the 4 authorities it cites, for United States and Illinois.

## When to use it

Use when an Illinois lawyer or firm sets up, audits or trains staff on generative AI use. The Illinois Supreme Court Policy on Artificial Intelligence is the controlling statewide source; the ARDC's nonbinding guide sits under it. Pair it with the firm's AI policy and approved tools register.

## How AI may be used

A tool may list the firm's AI tools and match them to each point; a lawyer confirms the Illinois sources are current, decides whether each point is met and signs off.

**AI may:**

- List the firm's AI tools and the matters they are used on, from the firm's own register
- Match each tool to the checklist points and flag points with no control
- Draft staff reminders that quote the named Illinois sources accurately

**AI must not:**

- Must not mark a point as met, a source as current or a citation as checked
- Must not decide whether a tool's terms protect confidential client information
- Must not add duties that the named sources do not state
- Must not treat this checklist as a substitute for the named sources or for a later opinion, rule or order

**The lawyer checks:**

- The current version of each named Illinois source has been confirmed
- The forum's local rules, standing orders and the assigned judge's orders have been checked for AI requirements
- Federal court rules and orders have been checked separately for any federal matter
- Each AI tool's terms of use and privacy policy have been read for access to inputs, retention and training use
- The ARDC guide's current edition has been obtained and compared with the points taken from the ARDC article

## Authorities

- [Illinois Supreme Court Policy on Artificial Intelligence, effective 1 January 2025](https://ilcourtsaudio.blob.core.windows.net/antilles-resources/resources/e43964ab-8874-4b7a-be4e-63af019cb6f7/Illinois%20Supreme%20Court%20AI%20Policy.pdf)
- [Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission (ARDC), Artificial Intelligence page and The Illinois Attorney's Guide to Implementing AI (October 2025, nonbinding)](https://www.iardc.org/EducationAndOutreach/ArtificialIntelligence)
- [Illinois Courts, Paste in Haste: The Fallout of AI Hallucinations in Court Filings and the New ARDC's Guide to Implementing AI (ARDC article, 28 January 2026)](https://www.illinoiscourts.gov/News/1665/Paste-in-Haste-The-Fallout-of-AI-Hallucinations-in-Court-Filings-and-the-New-ARDCs-Guide-to-Implementing-AI/news-detail/)
- [Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct of 2010, Rule 1.1, Comment 8 (benefits and risks of relevant technology)](https://ilcourtsaudio.blob.core.windows.net/antilles-resources/resources/a6dcb9d0-59c0-4ffd-87b9-d610d8eeac93/RULE%201.1.pdf)

## Full text and drafting notes

The full text and the drafting notes are not part of this public page. Signed-in firm accounts can read them at https://ailawframework.com/precedents/ai-decision-systems/us-il-genai-ethics-checklist and through the signed-in MCP connector https://ailawframework.com/mcp/firm.

*Practice guidance for planning and review. Confirm current primary sources and the requirements of the actual matter. This is general information, not legal advice.*