Why We Don’t “Tune Up” AI-Generated Legal Documents (and What We Do Instead)

Short version: it’s about liability, ethics, and saving you money.

Generative tools can draft just about anything these days—wills, trusts, deeds, LLC operating agreements, you name it. And while we appreciate the innovation (no offense to our robot friends), Filippi Law Firm, P.C. does not review, revise, or “bless” documents created by AI or downloaded from form sites. When your family, your real estate, your taxes, and your legacy are on the line, you deserve documents we can stand behind—drafted by an attorney who knows California law and your specific goals.

Below is our plain-English explanation of why we hold this line and what we’ll do instead to keep you protected and costs predictable.

1) Liability we can’t (and shouldn’t) assume

When an AI or a third-party service drafts your estate planning or real estate documents, we are not the drafter. We didn’t choose the clauses, verify your facts, or align the documents with California’s requirements. If we later “review” that work, we risk becoming responsible for the hidden gaps we didn’t—and often couldn’t—see without rebuilding the plan from the ground up.

Think of it like a contractor being asked to “just sign off” on a house someone else framed with mystery lumber. Even a careful walk-through won’t reveal what’s inside the walls. As attorneys, we’re held to professional standards that require us to own our work. We can’t ethically take on the liability for a document we didn’t design, test, and tailor to you.

2) The “cheap now, expensive later” problem

We often hear, “I already used an AI to draft this; can you take a quick look so I don’t have to start over?” Ironically, “quick looks” are rarely quick. It usually takes more time (and therefore more cost) to untangle and correct a generic document than to draft it correctly the first time.

Common examples we see:

• Trusts that don’t fund real estate properly, leaving your home at risk of probate.

• Deeds with the wrong vesting (e.g., joint tenancy vs. community property with right of survivorship) that change capital gains treatment or step-up in basis outcomes.

• Out-of-state templates that ignore California’s community property rules, Proposition 19 property tax rules, or local recording requirements.

• Boilerplate powers that seem harmless but accidentally limit a successor trustee, cause gift or estate tax issues, or disinherit a beneficiary by mistake.

By the time we identify every issue, reconcile conflicts, and re-draft core provisions, it’s typically less economical than starting fresh. Our policy protects clients from paying twice for the same plan.

3) California isn’t generic (and your life isn’t either)

AI tools are trained on a universe of sources. Your life is not a universe—it’s specific. So is California:

• Community property: A clause that makes sense in another state can undermine community property rights here, especially for married couples and registered domestic partners.

• Real estate and recording: Deeds require precise legal descriptions, notary acknowledgments, and county-specific recording practices. Miss one, and you may cloud title.

• Proposition 19 & property tax: Transfers within families and into or out of trusts can trigger reassessment surprises. The wrong wording or the wrong timing can be costly.

• Execution formalities: Wills have witness rules; trusts have execution requirements; affidavits and certifications vary. “Looks right” is not the same as “is valid.”

These are the details that protect your estate planning goals, your real estate investments, and your tax outcomes. They’re also the details generic drafting tools simply can’t tailor to you.

4) Ethics and professional standards matter

We’re in the business of reducing risk, not transferring it back to you. Our duty is to deliver competent, conflict-free, California-compliant advice and documents. If we can’t ensure the reliability of the starting point, we won’t stamp it with our letterhead. That isn’t inflexibility—it’s accountability.

5) What we will do (and how it saves you money)

We love efficiency. We use technology daily to streamline our work. The difference is we control the process and quality:

1. Discovery done right. We start with a focused conversation about your assets, family, property, and goals.

2. Design from the ground up. We draft a plan that fits: trust, will, powers of attorney, advance directive, and any real estate or business documents needed.

3. Plain-English review. We walk you through what each document does, when it operates, and how to use it.

4. Funding and follow-through. We help retitle property, record deeds when appropriate, and coordinate beneficiary designations so the plan actually works.

5. Predictable fees. Wherever possible, we use flat fees so you know the investment up front. No surprise bills for “fixing someone else’s drafting.”

If you already have AI-generated or downloaded forms, bring them to the meeting. We’ll use them as a conversation starter to understand what you’re aiming for. Then we’ll craft a plan we can stand behind—no guesswork, no shaky foundation.

6) “But AI is pretty good now, isn’t it?”

AI is astonishing at generating text. Legal work is not just text; it’s judgment. It’s state-specific rules, tax coordination, asset alignment, family dynamics, and anticipating what can go wrong. An AI can produce a document that looks polished while still missing a small phrase that has a big impact on your home, your trust, or your kids’ inheritance. That’s not a technology problem; it’s a context problem.

7) Real-world misfires we see (sanitized examples)

• A couple used a generic revocable trust template. Their house never made it into the trust, and their pour-over will wasn’t validly executed. Result: a full probate.

• A parent added a child to title via a quitclaim deed, thinking it avoided probate. It triggered property tax consequences and created creditor exposure for the child.

• A “simple will” left a vacation home to three siblings as joint tenants. Years later, one sibling’s divorce and another’s creditor made refinancing and sale a nightmare.

None of these families intended those outcomes. All of them were avoidable with tailored advice.

8) Our policy, clearly stated

• We do not review or revise AI-generated or third-party template documents.

• We do not provide “quick looks” to “bless” outside drafts.

• We will meet with you, understand your goals, and create a California-compliant plan we can own—efficiently and transparently.

9) The bottom line

Your documents are the last place to experiment. The goal isn’t to have “a trust” or “a deed”; it’s to have the right trust or deed that works under California law, protects your family, and coordinates with your assets and tax picture. That’s what you hire an attorney for.

If you’re ready for a plan that protects your people and your property—without hidden risks—we’re here to help.