March 2026 by Cliff McKinney |
In Star Trek: The Next Generation, The Borg deliver their iconic warning to every species they encounter: “Resistance is futile.” The line resonates because it conveys the inevitability that once the Borg arrive, escape is no longer an option.
For lawyers, the duties of candor, supervision, and fairness in fees are just as inescapable. The ABA Formal Opinion 512 (“ABA Opinion”) makes clear that, regardless of how powerful artificial intelligence becomes, it cannot relieve attorneys of their obiligation. Attorneys must verify what they file, oversee how their colleagues use the technology, and ensure that clients are charged fairly. This installment examines those three pillars, showing how courts and the ABA are making plain that ethical rules still govern.
The above is an excerpt of an article published for Arkansas Law Notes. This is the fifth installment of a ten-part series on the use of artificial intelligence in the legal profession. You may click the link below to read the full article.
A managing member of Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull PLLC, Cliff McKinney speaks nationwide on the rapidly evolving role of AI in law practice, covering cutting-edge tools, prompt engineering, ethical obligations, risk management, and actionable strategies lawyers can implement immediately. He has presented for organizations including the American Bar Association (ABA), the American College of Real Estate Lawyers (ACREL), the American College of Mortgage Attorneys (ACMA), and has written extensively on AI for ACMA, USLAW, and the Arkansas Law Review. Mr. McKinney holds a Prompt Engineering Specialization certification from Vanderbilt University and is a Fellow of both the American College of Real Estate Lawyers and the American College of Mortgage Attorneys.