World’s First Robot Lawyer Sued by a Law Firm for Lack of Law Degree
DoNotPay, an AI-powered service that claims to be the first robot lawyer in the world, is facing allegations of practicing law without a license.
The tool, designed in a chatbot-style format, aims to provide accessible legal information. It can also self-help resources to assist consumers in their legal battles against large corporations.
On March 3, a Chicago-based law firm named Edelson filed a proposed class action lawsuit against the robot lawyer. On Thursday, the website of the Superior Court of the State of California for San Francisco County published this information.
DoNotPay, the 'Robot Lawyer,' Is Being Sued https://t.co/7PQ77ZjRLa pic.twitter.com/1V6jEpcmk4
— Gizmodo (@Gizmodo) March 13, 2023
The plaintiff alleged that DoNotPay, to the detriment of its clients, is not truly a robot. It is not even a law firm or a lawyer. According to the complaint, DoNotPay needs a law degree.
In addition, it is not authorized to practice law in any jurisdiction and is not subject to any lawyer’s supervision.
Jonathan Faridian, a user of DoNotPay, has reportedly filed a lawsuit. He claimed that he utilized the service to create a range of legal documents. These are demand letters, a small claims court filing, and a job discrimination complaint.
Bad news! Jay Edelson, America's richest class action lawyer, is suing my startup @DoNotPay in California. Mr Edelson, who has made billions suing companies, is attacking us for "unauthorized practice of law" and seeking a court order ending any A.I product.
Here's my response: pic.twitter.com/6PvFVW65rB
— Joshua Browder (@jbrowder1) March 9, 2023
Moreover, Faridian thought he had procured legal paperwork from a proficient attorney but instead received “substandard results.”
Joshua Browder, a former Stanford University student, established DoNotPay in 2015 with the initial aim of helping people appeal parking tickets in the UK.
Over time, the business has extended its services to include advice on various other topics. Some of which include delayed flights, workplace rights, and misleading advertising claims.
Exciting news! I have been working on DoNotPay for 6 years, but each day still feels like an exciting challenge.
Thrilled to add some of the world's best growth investors to our cap table in this 4% dilution round of funding!https://t.co/sBKZPEjHnI
— Joshua Browder (@jbrowder1) July 30, 2021
In addition, DoNotPay has made headlines for its potential to become the first robot lawyer to provide legal advice to a defendant in court. However, this historic moment did not materialize due to threats of imprisonment.
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