You're Already Using AI: What Paralegals Need to Know

Think your firm is not using AI yet? Take a closer look at your cite-checking tool, your transcription app, and your review platform. AI is already in there.

In this episode of Paralegal Real Talk, guest host Linda Odermott sits down with Kelley Chaney, RP, CEDS, a senior e-discovery paralegal at Ballard Spahr LLP. Kelley walks through the tools she uses on real matters, the two concerns clients keep raising, and the discovery obligation almost nobody is tracking yet.

 

Kelly Chaney is a senior e-discovery paralegal at Ballard Spahr in Portland, Oregon, with over 30 years of experience in the legal field. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Administration of Justice and a CEDS e-discovery certification, specializing in complex litigation management. Since 2007, Kelly has been an active member and leader within the National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA) and the Oregon Paralegal Association (OPA), serving in numerous leadership roles. She is a nationwide CLE presenter on e-discovery, artificial intelligence, and legal tech. Kelly is dedicated to equipping paralegals with practical roadmaps to effectively guide litigation and technology strategies alongside their legal teams.

 

 

•  AI Competence is Required: Under current ABA guidance, legal professionals are expected to maintain technological competence and understand the AI tools and processes used in their practice.
•  Practical Legal Workflows: Specialized legal AI tools (such as Harvey, ClearBrief, Kira, and Westlaw QuickCheck) can dramatically streamline complex document matching, discovery requests, and contract reviews when driven by effective prompt engineering and human oversight.
• Privilege and Security Risks: Using unapproved third-party AI platforms can destroy attorney-client privilege or breach client confidentiality protocols, making firm AI policies and client-by-client consent essential.
•  Verification Over Reliance: While modern tools feature built-in hallucination detectors, human verification remains critical—attorneys face real court sanctions, lost cases, and public embarrassment for submitting unverified, AI-generated citations.
• Preservation Duties Include AI Data: Preservation obligations extend to AI-driven data systems (such as automated fleet metrics or smart diagnostics); failing to preserve a client's AI data can lead to severe spoliation sanctions, including struck pleadings.

 

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