- Curated Databases and Direct Citation Input: Building on Verified Foundations
The distinction between open-source generative AI and systems connected to curated, licensed legal databases is profound. Top Am Law Ranking Firms steadfastly avoid using open-source generative AI like ChatGPT for critical legal tasks without significant customization and integration. Instead, they license or build systems intrinsically linked to verified, meticulously maintained legal databases such as Westlaw, LexisNexis, and Bloomberg Law. These proprietary systems are designed to provide real-time citation checks against actual legal sources, making them infinitely more trustworthy than open-ended chatbots that draw from the vast, often unverified, expanse of the internet.
For solo practitioners or self-represented litigants without access to these premium services, a vital mitigation strategy is to directly provide the AI with the actual cases and statutes intended for citation. By feeding the AI verified legal citations and asking it to synthesize information around them, users can effectively prevent the AI from fabricating its own non-existent legal references. This approach shifts the burden of citation accuracy from the AI to the human, leveraging AI for synthesis and drafting while retaining human control over the foundational legal authorities.
