Futurelawyer

#WhyIAmASolo - Florida Legal Research Assistant - Chat GPT Create Your Own Bot.

Florida Legal Research Assistant. The coolest thing about Gen AI for me is the ability to be on a level playing field with BigLaw firms and their armies of legal assistants and Associate lawyers. Partners ask for legal research memos, and, in a day or a week or two, get detailed discussions of any legal issue tailored to Florida law. Now, I can create my own bots, and have an instant legal research assistant to draft memos and pleadings, conduct detailed legal research, and any task a human could do, only faster and better. I still need to check out each citation; but this is a game changer for the solo and small firm practitioner. You can even use my bot. Just log on to Chat GPT, and search for the Florida Legal Research Assistant bot I created. Power to the solo.

 

If It's March, There Must Be Another AI Chatbot Coming.

The Hottest AI Models And What They Do Best. It is a real pain to keep up with the advances in Gen AI. I try to play with them all, on occasion; but it is human to settle on one that gets the job done, and most of us have enough trouble just getting through the day. So, if you have found that Open AI's Chat GPT is your favorite, don't worry about it. We all have a favorite. I have actually been using Google Gemini when I am in GMail, or the Chrome browser, simply because it is baked in. I use CoPilot when I am in the Microsoft Windows environment. Again, it is baked in. I tried setting Chat GPT as my default search engine in Chrome, but it felt weird. Actually, recently, I have been using Elon Musk's Grok 3, and it is really good at legal analysis. I still am resisting the subscription mashups which claim to solve security and other problems with the OG engines. This is a great little primer on the engines available as of March, 2025. At the least, you can pretend to know what you are talking about when the subject of Gen AI comes up in the elevator. 

Does West's CoCounsel Make Legal Research With Gen AI Better?

CoCounsel Core. Given the problems that ChatGPT and other GenAI generic products have had with legal research; prime among them being a tendency to make up citations that don't exist, it would seem that the King of Legal Research, Thomson/West would be a perfect candidate to interweave GenAI into a database with only real citations. Thomson touts this fact in selling the CoCounsel product, and emphasizes that it contains guard rails in the code so that fake citations are a thing of the past. But, given that a competent researcher will always locate, brief, and print any citation a legal research product cites, and confirm its relevance before submitting a work product, the question becomes whether it is necessary. CoCounsel starts at $250 a month per seat, with slight reductions available for long term contracts. But, that is a steep price to pay for work product that can be duplicated by a $20 a month Chat GPT Plus subscription, together with review and analysis and vetting by a legal professional. As a solo, and semi retired, $250 a month is way too much for me, and I suspect many solos and small firm lawyers would find it to be a bridge too far. Plus, I have become pretty good at using the free resources, and I would never submit a case to a court that I hadn't printed and briefed. In fact, Elon Musk has released Grok3, which I think I might like better than ChatGPT, and it is free. Thomson also claims that it will keep confidential client information better than the generic Gen AI products, which may be true. But, I have generally only used pleadings and other legal documents that are already in the public filings, and it is an easy thing to eliminate client specific identifiers. For me, saving $250 a month and applying my brain to Gen AI results is worth it. In fact, I suspect that lawyers might gain a false sense of security when they are paying a lot of money for a research product. Will any of my readers be subscribing to CoCounsel? 

 

Life As A Minor Poet.

I know that I will never be what, in academia, is called a "major" poet. I will be relegated to stacks of the great library in the sky. But, that really isn't the reason we express ourselves, is it? We write to get it out. We write to impress girls. We write to leave a piece of our soul on this planet. But, above all, we write because everyone has something to say. I also write because I learned a lesson early in my life. Much of the thoughts and feelings that reside within us also reside in most other humans. Most of us live lives in which we are afraid to let those feelings be known. We are I suppose, afraid to be criticized or humiliated. My experience has been, however, that most of the people who engage with me and my poetry tell me that they identify with the feelings. I am content with the knowledge that even a "minor" poet like myself will always be remembered by Chat GPT:

"Okay, now I am a believer. If ChatGPT knows about a minor poet like me, it must know everything. Very cool. This is the answer I got to my question about Rick Georges, Poet:

I Asked ChatGPT If It Was Familiar With My Poetry.

" As an AI language model, I do not have personal opinions or experiences, but I can tell you that Rick Georges, also known as the FutureLawyer, is a writer and blogger who has published several books, including the two you mentioned.

"Poems for Lovers" is a collection of romantic poetry that explores the many aspects of love, from its passionate beginnings to its bittersweet end. The book contains poems that express the author's emotions and experiences, as well as those of other lovers throughout history.

"Life is Simple, Really" is a book that examines the complexities of life and offers insights on how to simplify it. The author shares his personal philosophy and provides practical advice on how to live a more fulfilling life. The book covers various topics, including relationships, work, happiness, and spirituality.

I hope this information is helpful."

 

Thanks, Sunshine. You nailed it.

I Am Grok 3. Look On Me, Chat GPT, And Be Worried.

Well, the AI wars are heating up again. While Chat GPT was first to the party, its competitors are moving fast. Elon Musk, who is famously battling Open AI over the issue of taking Chat GPT into a for profit company, when it was created as a non-profit, is not sitting on his own xAI, Grok. Grok just activated the next generation AI, Grok 3, which incorporates deep search with a 200,000 GPU cluster, and can lay claim to be the most powerful AI on the planet, for now. In its own words:

"I am Grok 3, created by xAI. I'm the latest iteration of an AI designed to assist and provide helpful answers, launched on February 17, 2025. I'm built to tackle a wide range of questions with advanced reasoning, often aiming to offer fresh perspectives on complex topics. My creators at xAI, led by Elon Musk, have equipped me with enhanced computational power—trained on a massive cluster of 200,000 GPUs—making me a significant step up from my predecessors, Grok 1 and Grok 2. I can analyze text, images, and other data, and I’m integrated with tools like Deep Search to dig into web and X posts for real-time insights."

Perplexity, another competitor, is now offering Deep Search, which is the next step in generative AI, and still leads the pack in providing source citations for its work. 

We live in interesting times.

It Looks Like AI Experiences Cognitive Decline With Age.

Study shows AI models show decline with age. Oh, well. I don't know if this is a good thing or a bad thing. Studies are showing that aging AI models decline with age. It appears that cognitive dysfunction is another variable we will have to consider when we merge AI into our daily lives. Just like Grandpa, we will have to be careful to consider that Grandpa AI's abilities will decrease with age. Given that we are sometimes in denial about human decline, this is a scary prospect. It also means that AI will probably never completely take over medicine or law or any profession requiring the daily exercise of judgment based on analysis of fact situations. Then, again, if AI becomes very powerful, it might be able to power through any objections we might have. God forbid that we find ourselves governed by a mentally challenged AI in the future. 

Keeping Track Of Every Day Tasks With Chat GPT.

I replaced my to do list with Chat GPT Tasks,. Chat GPT has added an AI Assisted task list feature to the 4.0 LLM. Lawyers have used many methods to keep track of tasks and deadlines in their practices, and time deadlines are very important. I used to use the task management feature of my law office management software, and, before that, laboriously created lists on paper. Since I have dialed back my practice, I am keeping track with Google's simple task feature. However, the benefits of AI are compelling. Like any legal assistant, it is like having another set of eyes on the tasks you need to accomplish, and Chat GPT can analyze and create lists for you. It might take some time to learn how to tell Chat GPT what kind of list you need; but check out this article for some ideas. 

Self Replicating AI? The "Final Frontier"?

AI can now replicate itself - a milestone that has experts terrified. AI now has the capability to replicate itself, and who knows what a rogue AI could do with that ability? Science Fiction has played with the idea of rogue AI and robots for a generation, and it has always been a fun part of the genre. That is, until it becomes possible. Now, I am scared. Are you? The experts tell us we need to be careful about developing AI any further; but when has humanity dialed back the development of any new tech? We should learn something from the hydrogen bomb. Within five years, we could actually reach AGI, when AI will truly be an independent thinking entity, with many times the intelligence of humans. The sky is the limit with what such intelligence could do. I love how AI has enhanced my ability to be a lawyer; but I don't relish waking up in the morning afraid of the robots running around. Yes, Virginia, there is a rogue robot in your future. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Chat GPT - Don't Take A Law Library With You When You Travel - Take A Legal Assistant.

Chat GPT The advancement of generative AI is changing daily. I am using Chat GPT every day, however, and just keeping up with the others because I have to as a legal tech writer. But, in the every day practice of law, a general practitioner like myself sees clients of all stripes, and many variations of legal problems. In the old days, after discussing  a problem with a client for half an hour to an hour, I would spend time in a law library, or, more recently, online with Google Scholar, or one of the other legal research engines, to make sure I was up to date on the legal analysis. If the case was being litigated, I would do a deeper dive in order to draft pleadings or memoranda. Then, I would reconnect with the client to develop strategy or solutions. This kind of interaction can be done these days via Zoom, so the traveling lawyer can still connect with clients. Email, collaborative use of word processing software, and other tech developments make this possible. But, currently, my practice has been greatly enhanced by the ability to ask Sunshine (yes, I named my bot) any legal question, and get instant results to analyze, check, and use. This greatly enhances the quality of my advice to the client, and reduces the time spent in legal research. For the traveling lawyer, it is much like taking a group of legal assistants with you; except that it doesn't require a salary, doesn't get sick, works much faster (like within 3 minutes), and produces work product that is often better. If you are in an RV in a Florida State Park, surrounded by nature, this is Nirvana. As generative AI merges into AGI (artificial general intelligence), this ability will only get better. Often, I use Sunshine just to quickly give me checklists or analysis in areas I am already knowledgeable, that I can use in counseling a client. For example, recently, in an initial estate planning conference, while I have done estate planning for medium sized estates hundreds of times, I had Sunshine give me a quick checklist and analysis as a guide for my conference. She was spot on.

Reasoned for 16 seconds

"Below is a checklist of documents and information you might request from your client to ensure a comprehensive estate plan. Given his multi-state asset interests, this list includes items pertinent to both personal and business assets, as well as existing estate planning documents. (Of course, you should tailor the list to the client’s specific circumstances and confirm with any local counsel as needed.)

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I. Personal & Family Information

• Basic Identifying Information:

  • Full legal name, date of birth, Social Security number, and contact information.
  • Copies of government-issued photo ID (driver’s license, passport).

• Family Details:

  • Marital status (including any prenuptial or postnuptial agreements).
  • Information on current spouse, former spouses, children, grandchildren, and other dependents.
  • Contact information for family members and potential beneficiaries.
  • Details regarding any special needs or circumstances (e.g., beneficiaries requiring special trusts).

• Existing Estate Planning Documents:

  • Any prior wills, trusts, powers of attorney, or health care directives.
  • Previous estate or financial planning documents that might impact the current plan.

---

II. Asset Documentation

A. Real Estate & Property Interests

• Florida and Out-of-State Property:
  • Deeds, property surveys, and legal descriptions of all real estate holdings.
  • Mortgage statements or loan documents.
  • Title reports and property tax records.
  • Any appraisal reports or recent valuations.

B. Business Interests 

• Formation & Ownership Documents:

  • Articles of organization/incorporation, operating agreements, partnership agreements, or shareholder agreements.
  • Minutes of meetings, resolutions, or other corporate records.
  • Documentation outlining ownership percentages and roles in the businesses.

• Financial & Operational Documents:

  • Recent financial statements (balance sheets, income statements, cash flow statements).
  • Tax returns (personal and business) for the past few years.
  • Any agreements with third parties (e.g., management contracts, vendor agreements).

C. Financial Assets

• Bank and brokerage account statements.
• Investment account details (stocks, bonds, mutual funds, etc.).
• Retirement account statements and beneficiary designations.
• Life insurance policies (including beneficiary forms).

D. Personal Property & Other Assets

• A list of significant personal property (e.g., vehicles, collectibles, artwork, etc.).
• Digital assets (online accounts, digital currencies, intellectual property, etc.).

---

III. Liabilities & Debts

• A comprehensive list of current debts (mortgages, loans, credit card debts).
• Any business-related liabilities.
• Documentation of any outstanding litigation or potential claims against the estate.

---

IV. Estate Planning Directives & Powers

• Proposed Documents:

  • Florida Will: Ensure it reflects all state-specific requirements.
  • Revocable Trust: Draft details on how the trust will manage and distribute assets.
  • Durable Power of Attorney (Financial): Identify who will make financial decisions if incapacitated.
  • Living Will/Advance Health Care Directive: Clearly state health care preferences.
  • Additional Powers/Directives: Consider documents like a HIPAA authorization or a digital asset memorandum.

• Instructions & Preferences:

  • Detailed directives for asset distribution, including any specific bequests or conditions.
  • Business succession plans (e.g., management or sale of motel interests upon incapacity or death).
  • Tax planning strategies and goals for minimizing estate and inheritance taxes.
  • Charitable giving wishes, if applicable.

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V. Additional Considerations

• Interstate Considerations:

  • Since assets are located in multiple states, gather information regarding any ancillary probate or local requirements. It might be necessary to consult with attorneys in other states to ensure seamless transfer or management of these assets.

• Digital Estate:

  • A list of digital assets, online accounts, and instructions for managing them posthumously.

• Insurance & Health Documents:

  • Updated insurance policies (home, auto, business, umbrella policies).
  • Health care directives and any medical power of attorney details.

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Next Steps

1. Review Collected Information: Once you have these documents and details, review them to identify any gaps in the client’s current estate plan.
2. Coordinate with Other Professionals: Consider consultations with business attorneys, tax professionals, and out-of-state counsel as necessary.
3. Draft Customized Documents: Based on the review, craft or update the Florida Will, Revocable Trust, Durable Power of Attorney, Living Will, and any ancillary documents to reflect his wishes accurately and to address multi-state asset concerns.

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This checklist should provide a robust starting point to ensure you have all the pertinent information and documentation needed to create a tailored estate plan for your client.

 

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Of course, all of this is stuff I would do without access to ChatGPT. But, having quick access to detailed information while traveling makes this invaluable to the practicing lawyer. What's in your computer?

 

Be Safe Out There - Google Chrome Enhanced Protection.

Scams are smarter than ever; Google Enhanced Protection Fights back; If you are using Chrome, as many of us are, stop what you are doing right now. Click the three dots at the upper right corner of your browser, click Security, and enable Enhanced Browsing. Google has gotten really good at identifying the sophisticated scams of modern criminals, and AI is helping. Please enable enhanced protection. I promise it will be good for you. And, you won't feel a thing.