Law Society of Ontario: tribunal hears case where AI was used in proceedings
A lawyer appearing before the Law Society Tribunal in Ontario acknowledged that he used generative artificial intelligence, specifically Grok, to research and draft motion materials without adequately checking the output for accuracy, resulting in numerous incorrect citations, hyperlinks and misunderstandings of procedural rules. The materials, which the tribunal found included “hallucinated” authorities that did not exist, were submitted as part of his attempt to have the interlocutory suspension of his license varied or removed. The lawyer admitted his reliance on AI, apologized, and committed to not using it for future submissions, explaining he believed in good faith the technology would be accurate and that he could not afford legal representation. The tribunal dismissed his motion alleging bias and maintained the admissibility of the Law Society’s evidence, but indicated it might consider the AI-related errors in later proceedings and gave him an opportunity to consult counsel before the next stage.