ABA Formal Opinion 512 applies existing duties to generative AI: competence, confidentiality, communication, candour and reasonable fees. Informed client consent is needed before putting client information into tools that learn from it, and boilerplate engagement language is not enough. The options for firms, from business chat plans to a private assistant on AWS, and what each means for those duties.
The ABA's first formal opinion on generative AI, Formal Opinion 512 (July 29, 2024), creates no new rules. It explains how the Model Rules already apply. State bars have issued their own guidance along similar lines, so check your jurisdiction as well.
Book a free 30-minute call. You'll leave knowing what we'd do first and roughly what it costs, whether or not you hire us.
Models through Amazon Bedrock in your own AWS account, with logging under your control and data kept in your chosen Region.
Document access synced from the document management system, with ethical walls and matter permissions enforced on every search.
Citations on every answer, linked to the source document and page, so verification is a click.
An audit log of who asked what, about which matter, for supervision and for clients who ask.
A written firm policy, training, and engagement-letter language agreed with your ethics counsel.
Once a month: what changed in tech that month and what it means for you, from cloud and AI to security and the tools you build with. Every item links to its source. No sales pitch, unsubscribe in one click.
Book a free 30-minute call about it. Bring your setup and your bill; you'll leave knowing what we'd do first and roughly what it costs, whether or not you hire us.
Or keep reading
AI in Accounting and Tax Firms: Document Intake, Close Support, and What Stays Human
The parts of accounting work that AI helps with today are clear: reading client documents, matching transactions, drafting explanations and searching past work. Judgment, sign-off and client advice stay with people. Where it pays off, the confidentiality rules to check first (including Section 7216 for tax return information), and how we would build it.
Read
AI Search Over Specs, RFIs and Drawings for Engineering Firms: What Works and What to Check First
Engineering firms sit on decades of specifications, RFIs, submittals, calculations and drawings that nobody can search well. Retrieval with a model on Bedrock makes them answerable, with citations. What it is good at, the licensing and client-data questions to settle first, and why the engineer of record stays responsible.
Read
As of October 26, 2026. Provided as is, for general information, and accurate to the best of our knowledge on the date shown. Not legal, compliance, tax, financial or other professional advice. Prices, limits and vendor services change; check current vendor documentation before relying on anything here. Terms of use.