ChatGPT, I have a Legal Question? The Impact of Generative AI Tools on Law Clinics and Access to Justice

Abstract

The launch of ChatGPT in November 2023 will perhaps be come to be one of the defining moments in our relationship with technology. The rapid pace in which generative artificial intelligence (GAI) is developing and the rate in which it is being adopted, is transforming how we interact with technology, and poses new risks and challenges. As GAI tools such as ChatGPT are used by non-lawyers, this article explores the implications of generative AI in the provision of legal advice. This research examines the performance of GAI tools in providing legal information and advice in response to commonly experienced legal problems and finds there are significant errors and mistakes with the responses it produces. There is a critical need to improve access to justice and this article explores the implications for non-lawyers in using GAI tools and considers the risks of reliance on GAI advice. The article goes on to examine the utility of generative AI in clinical legal education to consider whether there is a role for responsible use of GAI in law clinics. It suggests the adoption of GAI tools has the potential to increase the capacity of law clinics, and enhance employability skills, but law schools need to be cognisant of the risks of GAI.