Above the Law - Thinking Like a Lawyer Lawyers Getting Really High On AI Hallucinations
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Jul 30, 2025 This week in the legal world, a federal judge withdrew a ruling because of fake citations, raising eyebrows about AI accuracy. One partner got fired for inventing a case, while another firm faced serious repercussions from AI missteps. The absurdity didn’t stop there, with a judge hilariously pointing out a second fake citation in an apology for a previous one. Meanwhile, the delayed start for new associates at a Biglaw firm added to the uncertainty in legal hiring, leaving many in limbo about their futures.
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AI Hallucinations Disrupt Court Opinions
- A federal judge had to withdraw an opinion due to numerous fake citations and quotes.
- Multiple lawyers and firms faced consequences for submitting AI-generated hallucinated legal references.
Partner-Level AI Misuse Problem
- The root problem behind AI hallucinations in law comes from partners seeking shortcuts, not junior associates.
- Senior lawyers often misuse AI, causing fake legal citations and risking sanctions.
Systemic Legal Brokenness Enables AI Risk
- The broken legal system around prisoners results in uniform case citations reflecting systemic indifference.
- This makes corner-cutting with AI hallucinations worse, as partners feel minimal risk citing the same few cases.