Guides
Using AI on client work, in plain English.
What the ethics rules and tax law say about AI, how the popular tools handle your data, and how to write a policy your firm will follow. Each guide cites its primary sources.
For law firms
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ABA Formal Opinion 512: A Checklist for Small Firms
What ABA Formal Opinion 512 asks of lawyers who use generative AI, rule by rule, with a numbered checklist a small firm can work through this month.
7 min read
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AI for Small Law Firms: What to Check Before You Buy
What a solo or 2 to 20 lawyer firm should check before buying AI: client confidentiality, data location, vendor access, citations, controls, price and exit.
6 min read
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AI Hallucinated Citations: Sanctions Cases and How to Check
Why AI tools invent case citations, what happened in Mata v. Avianca and Park v. Kim, what ABA Opinion 512 asks, and a routine to check every citation.
6 min read
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Are AI Chats Privileged? What Heppner Held
What United States v. Heppner held about a client's AI chats, privilege and work product, what is still open, and practical steps for firms and clients.
7 min read
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ChatGPT Alternatives for Lawyers: What to Compare
Five ChatGPT alternatives for lawyers and law firms, compared on price, training, data location, admin controls and audits, from each vendor's own pages.
6 min read
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Harvey Alternatives for Small Law Firms
What Harvey offers and publishes, where it is strongest, and the AI options a small or mid-size law firm can weigh instead, from each vendor's own pages.
6 min read
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State Bar AI Ethics Opinions in Plain English
California, Florida 24-1, New York, Texas 705, Pennsylvania 2024-200, New Jersey and more: what each says on AI, and how it differs from ABA Opinion 512.
8 min read
For accounting firms
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AI for CPA Firms: What It Does Well and the Rules That Apply
How CPA and accounting firms can use AI for tax research, IRS notices and client letters, which rules apply to client data, and what to check in a tool.
6 min read
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AICPA Confidentiality Rules and AI Tools
How the AICPA confidentiality rule, its third-party service provider interpretations and the due care standards apply when your firm uses AI tools.
6 min read
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Circular 230 and AI: What Tax Practitioners Need to Know
How Circular 230 due diligence, competence, written advice and supervision rules apply when CPAs and EAs use AI, including the IRS OPR's 2026 AI alert.
7 min read
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IRC §7216 and AI Tools: What Tax Preparers Need to Know
How IRC §7216 and its regulations apply when tax preparers put client data into AI tools, including US location rules and Rev. Proc. 2013-14 consents.
7 min read
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The FTC Safeguards Rule, Your WISP and AI Tools
What the FTC Safeguards Rule requires of tax preparers, how IRS Publications 4557 and 5708 help with your WISP, and how to add an AI tool to it.
7 min read
For every firm
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ChatGPT Business vs Enterprise for Law and CPA Firms
ChatGPT Business (formerly Team) vs Enterprise: seat prices, minimums, retention, SSO, SCIM, audit logs, data residency and BAAs, from OpenAI's own pages.
7 min read
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Choosing an AI Tool: A Due-Diligence Checklist for Firms
What a small law or accounting firm should ask before choosing an AI tool: training, retention, data location, access, certifications, contracts and cost.
7 min read
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How to Write an AI Policy for a Small Law or Accounting Firm
A plain-English guide to writing a short AI policy for a small law or accounting firm, with a fill-in template you can adapt in an afternoon.
7 min read
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Is ChatGPT Safe for Client Data?
How OpenAI handles your data in personal ChatGPT plans versus ChatGPT Business, Enterprise and the API, and what that means for client confidentiality.
7 min read
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Is Claude Safe for Client Data?
How Anthropic handles your data in Claude Free, Pro and Max versus Claude Team, Enterprise and the API, and what that means for client confidentiality.
7 min read
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Is Microsoft Copilot Safe for Client Data?
What Microsoft's docs say about Copilot Chat and Microsoft 365 Copilot: what it can see, training, where data is processed, Anthropic models and retention.
7 min read
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What Is a Private AI Workspace?
A private AI workspace is AI a firm runs for its own people, kept apart from other customers and never used for training. What it is, and what it is not.
6 min read
Use cases
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For law firms
AI contract review for small law firms
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For law firms
First drafts of legal memos with AI
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For accounting firms
Responding to IRS notices with AI
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For accounting firms
AI for tax research, with sources you check
Weighing tools? Read how Zrico compares with ChatGPT Business, Microsoft 365 Copilot and Harvey.
These guides are general information, not legal, tax or accounting advice. Rules change and vary by state; check the primary sources each guide links to and the rules that apply to you.
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