Artificial intelligence can be useful for understanding complicated information, but when it comes to confidential legal advice, knowing what you share and where it goes matters.
Imagine receiving a letter from your solicitor that you don’t fully understand. You might be tempted to upload it to an AI assistant and ask for a simpler explanation. It seems harmless enough, but sharing confidential legal documents with a third-party platform could put sensitive information at risk.
Why confidentiality matters
Legal professional privilege protects certain confidential communications between solicitors and their clients. It allows people to seek legal advice openly, knowing that those conversations are protected from disclosure in appropriate circumstances.
However, uploading legal advice, correspondence or details of an ongoing case to an AI platform may involve sharing information with a third party. Depending on how the service operates and the circumstances involved, this could create risks for confidentiality and legal professional privilege.
Different AI services have different privacy arrangements. Some are designed for professional use with appropriate safeguards, while publicly available tools may process or retain information in ways users don’t fully understand.
For anyone involved in criminal proceedings, a family dispute or a civil claim, that distinction can be particularly important.
Think before you share
AI can help explain general legal terminology or provide background information about how the law works. But there is a significant difference between researching a legal subject and uploading confidential information about your own case.
If you’re unsure about advice you’ve received, ask your solicitor to explain it. If you’re considering using AI to review legal documents, speak to your solicitor first.
At MSM Law, we believe technology should make legal information more accessible without compromising the trust and confidentiality that underpin the relationship between solicitor and client.
Your legal advice is confidential. Before sharing it with AI, make sure it stays that way.
No drama. Just clear legal advice.
Related reading: AI Can Change How Lawyers Work. It Must Never Change Who Is Responsible.
Editorial note: We use AI tools to assist with editing and managing our website and social media content. All published material is reviewed and approved by MSM Law.
