Robot lawyer sued by law firm
DoNotPay, the self-proclaimed "world's first robot lawyer," has been charged with unauthorised legal practice. Last week Chicago law firm Edelson filed a proposed class action lawsuit.
The complaint alleges that DoNotPay has been providing inadequate legal services without a proper licence. However, DoNotPay's CEO Joshua Browder has vowed to fight the lawsuit, dismissing it as lacking merit.
The lawsuit also claimed that Browder's endorsement of the service as a replacement for legal representation was misleading and could harm customers. The lawyers also asserted that Browder had broken the state's consumer protection laws by promoting DoNotPay as a legal service without the necessary credentials.
Browder countered the allegations by contending that DoNotPay did not engage in legal practice, but rather offered guidance and support to its users.
He further pointed out that the platform had assisted numerous individuals with legal concerns, particularly those who could not afford conventional legal services.
This case highlights significant issues regarding the involvement of AI and machine learning in the legal field, and the potential hazards of utilising such technology without appropriate monitoring and governance. Although AI can undoubtedly serve as a valuable resource for legal research, document review, and similar duties, there is still debate on whether it can offer legal advice and representation.