A recent legal dispute between a man and the airline Avianca Holding S.A. has sparked discussions among legal professionals regarding the use of AI tools in the field. During the lawsuit, Roberto Mata sued the airline claiming he was injured when a metal service cart struck his knee during a flight. In response, the lawyer representing Mata, Steven A. Schwartz, submitted a 10-page brief citing more than half a dozen relevant court cases to prove his argument in the case. However, it was later revealed that none of the cited cases were actually genuine; the briefing was created using OpenAI LP’s ChatGPT.
Schwartz defended himself, claiming he was unaware of the AI’s capabilities to generate false content. His case has become unprecedented and prompted the judge, P. Kevin Castel, to call a hearing to consider potential sanctions against Schwartz. This case has raised serious questions about the reliability of AI tools in the legal profession. Professor Stephen Gillers, a legal ethics professor at New York University School of Law, stated that this case illustrates legal professionals must exercise caution while using AI in court filings. He urged lawyers to always verify the output of the AI before using it in their legal briefs.
The company mentioned in this case is Avianca Holding S.A. which is one of Latin America’s leading airlines. The airline was founded in 1919 in Colombia and its core service is providing air transportation for passengers. Avianca is well-known for its wide range of services including cargo, integrated logistics, hotel-booking, car-rental, AUs and other VIP services. The company is part of Star Alliance, the world’s largest airline alliance which consists of international members.
The person mentioned in this case is Steven A. Schwartz. He is the lawyer who is representing Roberto Mata in the case against Avianca. He is an experienced lawyer with over three decades of practice. Schwartz is a partner at his firm, Levidow, Levidow & Oberman, and a devoted advocate of his clients. He is well-versed in the complexities of civil litigation, contract law, and business law. Schwartz is keen to remind legal professionals of the importance of verifying the content generated by AI before making court filings.
