The Law Society of Ontario has suspended a lawyer for six months after she submitted fabricated legal precedents generated by artificial intelligence into a court hearing. This decision marks a significant development, representing the first time a Canadian legal regulator has imposed a suspension beyond a reprimand for the misuse of AI in legal submissions.
Lawyer’s Misconduct and Tribunal’s Ruling
Mary Hyun-Sook Lee, who practices under the name Jisuh Lee, was found to have committed professional misconduct by the discipline tribunal of the Law Society of Ontario. The tribunal determined that Lee failed to adequately serve her client by relying on a legal brief, known as a factum, that contained non-existent or irrelevant case law produced by an AI tool. Furthermore, she was found to have deliberately misled the court regarding the authenticity of these legal citations.
In addition to the six-month suspension, the tribunal ordered Lee to adhere to a set of remedial guidelines during her suspension and to pay $10,000 in costs. The ruling underscores the growing concerns surrounding the use and verification of AI-generated content within the legal profession.
The Courtroom Incident
The disciplinary action stems from an incident in Ontario Superior Court last year. While arguing a motion related to a deceased person’s estate before Judge Fred Myers, Lee presented arguments based on her factum. Judge Myers, however, identified numerous issues with the cited precedents, recognizing
