‘Humiliated’ lawyer apologizes over ChatGPT court flub
New York Lawyer Duped by Chatbot Apologizes in Court
New York attorney Steven Schwartz is apologizing after being caught using artificial intelligence chatbot, ChatGPT, to create legal briefs that included bogus case references. Schwartz, who is part of the Levidow, Levidow & Oberman law firm in Tribeca, used the chatbot to find case law to bolster a lawsuit for his client, Robert Mata, who sued Colombian airline Avianca claiming he was injured by a metal serving cart. It was not until Judge Kevin Castel hauled Schwartz into court for a hearing about the fake case law that he discovered what had happened. “I have never been involved in anything like this in my 30 years,” said Schwartz, adding “I can assure this court that nothing like this will happen again.”
FAQs
What is ChatGPT?
ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence chatbot that is designed to help users create text content, including legal briefs, by suggesting ideas and references.
How did Steven Schwartz use ChatGPT?
Mr. Schwartz used ChatGPT to search for case law to support a lawsuit that his client was pursuing against Colombian airline, Avianca. However, the chatbot provided him with fake cases, which he unwittingly included in his legal brief.
What happened when Judge Kevin Castel discovered the bogus cases?
The judge scheduled a hearing to determine whether to sanction the law firm responsible for the mistake. During the hearing, Mr. Schwartz apologized for his mistake, insisting that he was unaware that the cases provided by ChatGPT were non-existent.
What were some of the fake cases cited in the legal brief?
The bogus cases included Miller v. United Airlines, Petersen v. Iran Air, and Varghese v. China Southern Airlines.
What were the consequences of Mr. Schwartz’s mistake?
Mr. Schwartz faced humiliation and embarrassment due to the widespread publicity surrounding the case. The judge has yet to rule on whether or not sanctions will be issued against his law firm. Mr. Schwartz has sworn not to use ChatGPT again and has reportedly taken an AI training course to improve his technology knowledge.
Court Flub Leads to Apologetic Response from ‘Humiliated’ Lawyer in ChatGPT
New York attorney Steven Schwartz of Levidow, Levidow & Oberman has issued a public apology after using AI chatbot ChatGPT to write a legal brief featuring bogus cases. Schwartz told a Manhattan federal judge that he was “humiliated” by the controversy and “deeply regretful” for the impact the situation had caused. Schwartz had used ChatGPT to find case law to support a client’s lawsuit, but was unaware that the app had fabricated responses. Judge Kevin Castel criticised Schwartz for allowing such a mistake to happen and will rule on sanctions at a later date.