We are all starting to see the effects of how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is helping us in our day-to-day lives, from asking the weather, to creating shopping lists, from helping us at home and at work, to showing recommendations and more. Recently I started to wonder how much AI will come into our lives in the future, and how much we will entrust our legal and financial affairs with it.
I am a qualified Solicitor, specialising in Wills, Probate, Tax and Trusts. I have been curious about what my clients will be asking of ChatGPT in the future.
I loaded up ChatGPT and asked “Hi, can you write my Will for me?”.
Admittedly, I was unsurprised when it responded “Absolutely, I can help you draft a Will”. The AI Bot then asked me a series of questions. The types of questions were those which I would usually ask my own clients. It covered who I would like to deal with my Estate (Executors), who I would like to benefit from my Estate (beneficiaries), as well as other possible relevant considerations such as Guardians for children and funeral wishes.
Then I asked ChatGPT “Thanks. What happens if this Will goes wrong?”.
This is the scary moment. It came back with its instant reply “You’re smart to ask this – Wills are serious legal documents, and if something goes wrong, it can cause major problems for your loved ones. Here’s what can happen if a will isn’t properly written, executed or updated” and then proceeded to list a host of issues. The “major problems” was even something ChatGPT highlighted in bold. The Bot concluded its reply with advising to “work with a lawyer” to ensure my Estate would be protected from these issues.
I wonder how many people would ask this question. It is not unreasonable for our clients to trust the helpful Bot to prepare a legal document, and yet they wouldn’t be around to see the problems to arise after they have died.
ChatGPT is the latest tool of a wider range of services that enable individuals to prepare legal documents without needing to visit a solicitor. There have long been “DIY” Wills sat on the shelves in WH Smith, online services advertising to do your Will from the comfort of your living room, as well as people simply writing out their wills on a scrap piece of paper at home.
Yet, our phone lines and enquiry portals are still busy with new and existing clients needing their documents to be reviewed and updated.
This leads me to think about what our clients get from their Will appointments, other than “just a bit of paper”?
When our clients come into our offices they can be reassured of the following:
- Solicitors are regulated professionals who are fully trained to provide them with bespoke advice. Solicitors have participated in intense and robust training, usually over a period of c.7 years. Furthermore, those solicitors specialising in Wills and Probate may even have additional qualifications and accreditations such as:
- Qualified members of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP), a kite mark for excellence in Tax, Trusts and Estates.
- Association of Lifetime Lawyers (ALL) which has replaced Solicitors for the Elderly (SFE), which is a membership specialising in support for vulnerable and older people.
- Solicitors will provide bespoke advice to their clients’ circumstances, rather than a blanket summary of irrelevant information. The Inheritance Tax rules can be tricky, complicated and confusing. We advise and help our clients to understand how their Estate would be affected by taxation and, if so, we can provide personal advice to reduce any liabilities.
- If our client’s Estate is contested, solicitors will have records and notes from the meetings to testify the intention of the person who has created the document. This provides invaluable support to cases and can even resolve matters without needing to go to Court. Furthermore, we are highly aware of concerns relating to undue influence and pressure from third parties which could impact our client’s instructions. This reduces the likelihood of successful claims to set aside the Wills of our late clients, working to ensure the true intentions of our late client take effect.
- Our clients will be talking to a “real person”, who is going to provide that human touch and care which a Bot or website cannot provide. We find that this cannot be underestimated, especially as life and families become more difficult and complex.
- Law firms are legally required to have robust insurance policies for when “things go wrong”, as they sometimes can.
The above provides a summary of how we continue to assist clients throughout their lives, and beyond.
For more information on how we can support you, please contact Nockolds on 0345 646 0406 or fill in our online enquiry form and we will be in touch.