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CGAE Interpretive Circular 3/2026: use of generative AI systems and the duty of verification

General Council of Spanish Lawyers (Consejo General de la Abogacia Espanola)

last revised 2026-04-13last verified 2026-09-041 versioncountry page →

Ethics opinionIn forceVerification dutySupervisionCompetenceRecord-keeping

map categories:Duty to verify AI outputSupervision of AI workTechnological competenceBar guidance on generative AISanctions for AI misuseMandatory AI training

Interpretive circular under Article 23 of the Right of Defence Act construing the Spanish code of conduct. Generative-AI drafting is lawful, but filing AI-assisted documents with unverified errors breaches diligence and responsible technology use and is a serious infraction under Article 125.u EGAE; the signer is solely responsible and tool failure proves a breach of supervision.

Applies to
lawyers, firms
Effective
13 Apr 2026
Current version
Dated Madrid 20 March 2026; approved by the Pleno 10 April 2026, amended 13 April 2026 · 13 Apr 2026
Last verified
04 Sept 2026
Official text
www.icaib.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Circular-interpretativa-3-202…

What the document requires

  • AI is an auxiliary function subject to human supervision, never a substitute for the lawyer.
  • Uncritical or substitutive delegation of essential professional tasks breaches diligence and independence, with or without errors.
  • Serious infraction under Art. 125.u EGAE; very serious under Art. 124.g in extreme or repeated cases causing defencelessness.
  • Recommendations: know the tools, read every AI output critically, cross-check against reliable legal sources, use AI only in fields mastered, keep internal traceability of AI use.
  • Confidentiality and professional secrecy are reserved to a separate circular.

Version history

VersionDateWhat changedSource
Dated Madrid 20 March 2026; approved by the Pleno 10 April 2026, amended 13 April 2026current2026-04-13Original text, from the ICAIB mirror of the CGAE circular.official

Sources

Cite this record

SafeLegalAI Legal AI Regulation Tracker, "CGAE Interpretive Circular 3/2026: use of generative AI systems and the duty of verification" (General Council of Spanish Lawyers (Consejo General de la Abogacia Espanola), Dated Madrid 20 March 2026; approved by the Pleno 10 April 2026, amended 13 April 2026, 2026-04-13), safelegalai.com/regulation/other/es-cgae-circular-3-2026-ia-generativa-verificacion (accessed 2026-09-04). Data: CC BY 4.0.

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