ODW2602 – Ethics in the Age of AI, Remote Work, and Legal Tech

Course Materials: Recording and PDF of the power point slides.

Description: Today’s legal workflows are digital, distributed, and increasingly AI-assisted, which raises ethical risks for paralegals. This session aims to demystify the gray areas: confidentiality in remote/hybrid settings, responsible use of legal technology and cloud tools, and the fast-moving world of generative AI. We will connect real scenarios to core duties (competence, confidentiality, supervision/UPL, candor, and billing integrity) and equip attendees with practical guardrails they can use right away. Participants will explore a simple decision framework to evaluate tools and tasks, “safe script” language for escalating issues, and checklists for tasks and AI use. The goal is to empower legal professionals to exercise sound judgment—protecting clients, safeguarding privilege, and delivering clean, defensible work—amid constant change and complexity.

Presenter Biography: Tracey N. Perkins, MBA is a Litigation Paralegal with the international law firm Clark Hill Law, based in the Los Angeles office. With more than 20 years of experience supporting high-stakes litigation teams, she brings a practice-forward perspective to ethics, legal operations, and professional development. She is the Founder and Chief Strategist of the ParaLeader™ Institute and serves as a Paralegal Educator with UC Irvine Division of Continuing Education and Santa Ana College. In addition to her work in practice and education, Tracey has experience as a Legal Recruiting Manager and Consultant. She holds a B.A. from the University of Virginia and an MBA from the University of Maryland Global Campus and is currently earning certifications in Applied Generative AI and Agentic AI from the Johns Hopkins Whiting School of Engineering. A member of the National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS), Tracey is committed to using the full scope of her education and experience to elevate, empower, and educate current and future legal professionals to lead beyond the desk and contribute strategic value to the business of law.