Lawline introduced a new AI Learning Assistant that pulls content from courses that are available on Lawline, and within a course, it allows you to "dive deeper into course content" by giving detailed answers and pointing to a timestamp in the video where it got the answer.
What Is Lawline?
I asked Lawline's new Learning Assistant "what is Lawline" and here is its response:
Lawline is an online platform that provides Continuing Legal Education (CLE) to attorneys across the United States. Through a wide range of courses, Lawline helps professionals meet their CLE requirements and advance their knowledge and skills. All the courses are taught by leading practitioners and recognized experts in their fields. The catalogue of courses covers diverse areas of legal practice including technology, office management, legal proceedings, pay equity laws, and many more. The objective is to help attorneys legal professions broaden their knowledge, enhance their practice, and maintain compliance with their CLE obligations. As well as legal skills development, Lawline also provides resources in support of the wellbeing and development of the legal community at large.
What Is Lawline's New Learning Assistant?
Lawline's announcement for the Learning Assistant states, "Chat with the Learning Assistant to to ask your specific questions and receive instant answers drawn from course transcripts, all sourced from vetted faculty."
Lawline provides a preview of the Learning Assitant on YouTube:
I asked the Learning Assistant to tell me about itself, and here is its reply:
I'm an AI developed to assist with providing information about Lawline's Continuing Legal Education (CLE) courses. Using transcript excerpts from these courses, I can provide details about a wide range of legal topics, point you towards suitable courses based on your queries, and facilitate your learning experience. However, for technical issues or further support, you should use the Customer Support chat that can be found in the bottom right corner of the screen.
How Can the Learning Assistant Help You?
I asked the Learning Assistant to give me an outline of it is helpful, and here is its reply:
The Learning Assistant is designed to provide you with information derived from Lawline's Continuing Legal Education (CLE) course transcripts. Here, in more detail, is how it can be helpful:
1. Course Information and Insights: I provide specific information and details about Lawline's CLE courses based on available transcript excerpts. Therefore, if you want to understand the content or find a highlight in a specific course, I can provide relevant details.
2. Answering Queries: You can ask questions about legal topics represented in the data source. In response, I will provide excerpts from course transcripts that most directly address your inquiry.
3. Course Recommendations: If you're unsure of what courses to take for specific learning goals, I can recommend relevant courses based on your inquiry. In recommending courses, I provide direct links and an explanation as to why a course may be relevant to your query.
However, while I can provide information and recommend courses, I'm not equipped to handle technical issues or user support. For these issues, you should use the Customer Support chat which you can find in the bottom right corner of the screen.
Using Learning Assistant on Lawline
Learning Assistant is available in two places in Lawline: (1) As a popup when you're outside of a course, and (2) as a tab when you're inside of a course.
I tested the new Learning Assistant and found it quite useful.
(1) Learning Assistant Popup Outside of a Course
When you're outside of a course, Learning Assistant gives answers from courses across all of Lawline and points to CLEs that you can watch to learn more.
To test the new Learning Assistant, I started by asking a question from a free CLE that I recently attended, Avoiding Anti-Semitism in the Legal Profession.
My prompt:
what is antisemitism?
Assistant:
Based on the transcripts from courses in the Lawline catalog, antisemitism is defined as a hostility, prejudice, or hatred for the Jewish people. This negative perception is often directed, not at Judaism as a religion, but at Jewish people as a whole. It can take different forms ranging from rhetorical to physical manifestations. It's important to note that antisemitism can affect both Jewish and non-Jewish individuals alike. Additionally, there tends to be a conspiratorial nature attached to antisemitism, often portraying Jews as somehow lesser but also as controlling the world or parts of it.
For further insights and understanding, you can look at the course Avoiding Anti-Semitism in the Legal Profession. It discusses antisemitism in a legal context, its definition, its forms, and how to address it, providing a broader and more detailed view on the subject.
The Learning Assistant allowed me to review information that I learned.
While I was testing the Learning Assistant, I saw that Lawline has a new CLE on in terrorem clauses in New York: The Evolution of In Terrorem Clauses in New York and Their Impact on Estate and Trust Litigation, by Ilene Sherwyn Cooper from Farrell Fritz, P.C. I have yet to attend this CLE, but I'm quite interested in the topic and information. I decided to test the assistant some more.
My prompt:
can an in terrorem clause in new york be used in an irrevocable trust?
Assistant:
Based on the transcripts from courses in the Lawline catalog, the application of an in terrorem clause, also known as a "no contest" clause, can indeed apply to irrevocable trusts. However, executing an in terrorem clause can be tricky, especially in the context of SCPA 1404 examinations. If these examinations are seen as challenging the validity of a trust that contains an in terrorem clause, it could trigger the clause.
This is further explained in the course, The Evolution of In Terrorem Clauses in New York and Their Impact on Estate and Trust Litigation, where a cautionary tale is shared of estate litigators who unwittingly triggered the in terrorem clause during an SCPA 1404 examination. The course can provide further insights into how these clauses function within an irrevocable trust.
Another course, Probate Proceedings in New York: Review of SCPA 1404 Discovery (Part 1), discusses these clauses as well, especially within the framework of the SCPA 1404 discovery process.
Additionally, the course, Utilizing a Trust for Your Elder Law and Estate Planning Needs in New York, provides further discussion about trusts in a broader context, which could be informative.
I like how the Learning Assistant answered my question and pointed me to three CLEs that I can attend.
So, the Learning Assistant helped me review content, answered my questions, and pointed me to CLEs that I could attend. But I wanted to test the extent to which AI can help create content.
My Prompt:
write a summary of in terrorem clauses
Assistant:
Based on the transcripts from courses in the Lawline catalog, In terrorem clauses, also known as "no contest clauses," are provisions in a will or trust that can discourage beneficiaries from contesting the validity of the document. These clauses can be triggered if a beneficiary tries to challenge the validity of a will or trust, causing that beneficiary to forfeit any inheritance they would have otherwise received.
Understandably, In terrorem clauses involve certain risks and complexities. In trust matters, they can be triggered during SCPA 1404 examinations. Care should be taken in these examinations as the questioning can become a triggering event, even when it is not immediately obvious.
It's crucial to note, however, that these clauses do not apply universally to all aspects of trust and estate law. For example, the safe harbor provision in probate proceedings does not apply to trusts containing in terrorem clauses.
Here are a few courses where you can learn more about in terrorem clauses:
The write-up is concise, but it gives a good starting point.
As a lawyer, outlines are sometimes more important that a full writeup, and the Learning Assistant shines.
My Prompt:
write an outline of in terrorem clauses
Assistant:
Based on the transcripts from courses in the Lawline catalog, an outline of In terrorem clauses might look like this:
I. Definition of In terrorem clauses
A. Also known as "no contest clauses"
B. Provisions in wills or trustsII. Purpose of In terrorem clauses
A. Discourages beneficiaries from contesting legality of document
B. Beneficiary risks forfeiting inheritance if clause is triggeredIII. Risks and complexities of In terrorem clauses
A. Can be triggered during probate proceedings or SCPA 1404 examinations
B. Need for careful navigation to avoid triggering the clauseIV. Limitations of In terrorem clauses
A. Not universally applicable in all aspects of trust and estate law
B. The protective 'safe harbor' provision in probate proceedings doesn't apply to trusts with these clausesYou can learn more about in terrorem clauses in the following courses:
I was satisfied with the Learning Assistant's abiltiy to answer open-ended questions and outline information. But I wondered if it could answer questions that ask if my understanding is correct and found that it could.
My Prompt:
Does in terrorem mean something scary?
Assistant:
Based on the transcripts from courses in the Lawline catalog, "in terrorem" is a Latin phrase that translates to "in fear." In a legal context, an in terrorem clause is designed to discourage behavior out of fear of a resulting negative consequence. In particular, these clauses can be included in wills or trusts to discourage beneficiaries from challenging the validity of the document. It's not inherently about being "scary," but rather, it is about creating a deterrent effect. Here are two courses that discuss in terrorem clauses in detail:
I asked a ridiculous question and the Learning Assistant did a good job of correcting me.
My Prompt:
is an in terrorem clause scary because they are written on halloween?
Assistant:
The information on in terrorem clauses being written on Halloween was not found within the Lawline catalog. In terrorem clauses do not have any specific connection to Halloween or any other holiday. The term "in terrorem" is a Latin phrase that means "in fear," meaning that these clauses are designed to discourage beneficiaries from challenging the validity of a will or trust out of fear that they may lose their inheritance. They can be written and implemented at any time, and are not specific to any particular date or event.
The Learning Assistant did well with a more difficult question.
My Prompt:
Are in terrorem clauses scary because they deal with dead hand control?
Assistant:
Based on the transcripts from courses in the Lawline catalog, in terrorem clauses can be seen as a form of "dead hand control" in which a will or trust settlor imposes certain conditions or restrictions that remain effective after their death. This might be perceived as "scary" or daunting to some because it could discourage beneficiaries from challenging the validity of documents, as doing so could trigger these clauses and potentially result in a forfeiture of their inheritance.
While talking about trust disputes and litigation, one course mentioned that for a beneficiary, an in terrorem clause is kind of a challenge at your own risk provision. It can be considered as the settlor's method to ensure that the distributive scheme they've put in place is not defeated after their death.
If you're interested in learning more about this topic, these courses might be helpful:
(2) Learning Assitant Tab Within a Course
Learning Assistant is available as a tab within a course.
The Learning Assistant tab within a course helps you review a course and points to specific timestamps in the course video where the Learning Assistant got its answer.
My Prompt:
Does New York have a statute on no contest clauses in irrevocable trusts?
Assistant:
Yes, New York law does address no contest clauses in irrevocable trusts. The relevant statute for this is New York Estates, Powers and Trusts Law (EPTL) 3-3.5.
At 11:11 in the course, the speaker describes the provisions of EPTL 3-3.5 and subdivision B, which specifically applies to wills and to "interim provisions" (including no contest clauses or in terrorem clauses). The statute states that these clauses are operative but outlines certain circumstances under which they might not apply.
Nevertheless, it's important to note that the specific applicability and interpretation of this statute can vary based on the specifics of the estate or trust in question.
Like other AI tools I've used, Learning Assistant acknowledges when it makes a mistake. In the previous prompt I asked about a statute on no contest clauses in irrevocable trust. I know that New York doesn't have such a statute. Learning Assistant answered with EPTL 3-3.5 and stated that this statute "specifically applies to wills." Learning Assistant's response was accurate, but it didn't answer my question. I pointed this out and Learning Assistant corrected itself.
My Prompt:
Doesn't EPTL 3-3.5 pertain only to wills?
Assistant:
You're right, apologies for any confusion. EPTL 3-3.5 pertains to no contest clauses in wills. It's discussed at 11:11 in the course. The course does cover the matter of how no contest clauses in trusts, including irrevocable ones, can be impacted by litigation, but EPTL 3-3.5 itself specifically addresses wills. Thank you for clarifying.
The way these clauses interact within trust law can depend on various factors and might be subject to case law and specific conditions of the trust document. Therefore, in-depth legal advice might be needed for specific situations regarding no contest clauses in irrevocable trusts.
Learning Assistant is Limited to Content on Lawline, Which Is a Good Thing
The Learning Assistant is limited to information that is available on Lawline. I recently posted about voting trusts and wanted to see if Lawline had information.
My Prompt:
What is a voting trust?
Assistant:
information on voting trusts was not found within the Lawline catalog.
Although the Learning Assistant is limited to information that is available on Lawline, the limit is a good feature because you know that the answers that you receive come from reliable sources.
I use more general AI tools, like GrammarlyGo and Bing AI. They are excellent assistants but they frequently give incorrect answers to legal questions. To use AI parlance, they sometimes "hallucinate" answers. Lawline's Learning Assistant doesn't have this problem.
When a topic is covered in a Lawline course, Lawline's Learning Assistant is going to be my go-to tool because I know it gives accurate information. Learning Assistant allows me to verify its answers by linking to courses and then giving video timestamps within a course. That's amazing.
Conclusion: Learning Assistant Is a Useful and Exciting Tool
In conclusion, I found the new Learning Assistant useful: It helps with reviewing information, answering questions, discovering CLEs where I can learn, and writing concise summaries and outlines. The dataset is limited to information from courses that are on Lawline, which means the Learning Assistant can't answer everything, but the answers it gives are reliable.
Lawline is again at the cutting edge of technological changes. Using reliable datasets is the wave of the future for AI. I think the Learning Assistant is an absolutely wonderful tool, and I'm super excited to use it.
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