Google and ChatGPT for Paralegals and Associates: Do I still need to know legal research and legal writing with these tools?

Lisa Smith-Butler | Charleston School of Law

Lisa Smith-Butler is a tenured associate professor of law at the Charleston School of Law where she teaches Torts I, Torts II, Professional Responsibility, and Children and the Law. She previously taught Legal Bibliography and Advanced Legal Research courses from 1995 onwards at Georgia State University College of Law, Nova Southeastern University, Shepard Broad College of Law, and the Charleston School of Law.

Experience & Activities at Charleston School of Law

Smith-Butler helped guide the law library successfully through the final ABA accreditation process in 2010 and served as the library dean until December of 2017 when she moved over to the faculty full time.

Smith-Butler practiced law in Georgia and Nebraska between 1984 – 1992 as a solo and small firm practitioner as well as working for the Nebraska Equal Opportunity Commission. In 1993, she moved full time into the field of law librarianship. As a law librarian, she worked for the Atlanta law firm of Powell, Goldstein, Fraser & Murphy (now Bryan Cave), Georgia State University, and Nova Southeastern University. At NSU, she served as the assistant dean of the library from 2003 until 2009.

Education

She received her J.D., Cum Laude, from Creighton University School of Law in Omaha, Nebraska in 1984 where she served as an assistant editor for the Creighton Law Review and on the Moot Court Board. She received her B.A., Magna Cum Laude, in 1982 from Hastings College where she received the Stephen Lingwall Senior English Award and was a Bellevue Academic Scholar. Her M.L.S. is from Clark Atlanta University.

Publications & Presentations

Her best-known publication is the book, Law Librarianship in the 21st Century, co-authored with two Florida colleagues. She has authored articles on legal research, social media and school bullying, and workplace privacy. She has presented programming at:

• American Association of Law Libraries (AALL)
• American Association of Law Schools (AALS)
• Atlanta Law Libraries Association
• Bricks ’n Bytes Conference
• Computer Assisted Legal Instruction (CALI) conference
• Law School Admissions Council (LSAC)
• Southeastern Association of Law Schools (SEALS) conference
• Southeastern American Association of Law Libraries (SEAALL)
• South Florida Association of Law Libraries (SFALL)
• Stetson University Jr. Faculty Forum.

She has done Continuing Legal Education (CLE) presentations in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina.

Interests

Her interests include strategic planning, information technology, jurisprudence, privacy, and writing. She teaches Children and the Law, Professional Responsibility, Torts, and Workplace Privacy.

I. Getting Started: Where Do I Begin? | 2:00pm – 2:12pm

• What do I need?
• Where can I find it?

II. Primary Sources of American Law (Federal & State) | 2:12pm – 2:24pm

• Cases
• Statutes/Legislation
• Regulations

III. What exists besides Westlaw and Lexis? | 2:24pm – 2:36pm

• FastCase
• Decisis
• Google
• HeinOnline
• ChatGPT

IV. Secondary Sources of Law | 2:36pm – 2:48pm

V. Research Strategies Worksheet | 2:48pm – 3:00pm

Break | 3:00pm – 3:10pm

VI. Getting Started with Legal Writing | 3:10pm – 3:25pm

• How do I begin?
• What is the purpose of the document?
• Who is the intended audience?

VII. Organization | 3:25pm – 3:40pm

• How should I organize my thoughts? Outlining
• Analysis

VIII. Saying It | 3:40pm – 3:55pm

• Start writing and say what you mean
• Edit and rewrite
• Another pair of eyes
• Meet deadlines
• Produce original and readable work

IX. Did I Say What I Intended to Say? | 3:55pm – 4:10pm

• A checklist