What intake AI can safely do
- Greet the person on behalf of your firm and say it is an assistant.
- Ask your standard intake questions.
- Check names against your conflicts list and flag possible matches.
- Offer open consult times and book one.
- Send your intake form and what to bring.
What it should never do
- Answer questions about the law or someone's specific situation.
- Predict outcomes or suggest what someone should do.
- Quote fees beyond what you have approved.
- Imply that an attorney client relationship exists.
Guardrails we set up
- A short, approved script and a list of topics it must refuse.
- A disclaimer in the first reply.
- Escalation rules for urgent matters, like an upcoming court date.
- Attorney approval before anything about a matter goes out.
- Business accounts that keep data out of AI model training.
This guide is general information, not legal or ethics advice. ABA Formal Opinion 512 discusses lawyers' duties when using generative AI tools, and many state bars have published their own guidance.