Dearest EDRM Community,
Word of the week: Safeguards
In legal tech last week, Ralph Losey pulled back the curtain on ChatGPT regarding standing instructions during training, Craig Ball updated his Annotated ESI protocol, and OpenAI’s former counsel is opening a funded AI-first law firm.
Please join us for HaystackID’s Webcast hosted by EDRM, “The AI eDiscovery Sea Change: Privilege, Work Product, and Hyperlink Productions,” on May 20, 2026, at 12 PM Eastern.
Mary Mack, CEO and Chief Legal Technologist, EDRM
Let’s remain united in our support for each other. For support or to assist a colleague, contact us at info@edrm.net to join our weekly Community Support Call, now in its seventh year.
On the EDRM Blog
- Supervisory Duties vis-à-vis “Hallucinated” Citations
- The Goblin in the Machine: What OpenAI’s “No-Pigeon Rule” Teaches Lawyers About AI Hallucinations
- Motion to Compel Forensic Image of Cell Phone: Granted in Part; Denied in Part
- A Refresh of the Annotated ESI Protocol
- Court Refuses to Enter Fed.R.Evid. 502(d) & “Clawback” Order Without Agreement; Also Refuses to Order Production of Responsive Documents That Do Not “Hit” on Search Terms
Upcoming Webinars on the EDRM Global Webinar Channel
- 19 May 2026, 1 PM ET – Important eDiscovery Case Law Decisions for May 2026
- 20 May 2026, 12 PM ET – [HaystackID® Webcast] The AI eDiscovery Sea Change: Privilege, Work Product, and Hyperlink Productions
Updates from Around the Globe
- Global Legal Tech Developments: The Hon. Ralph Artigliere explained how embedded safeguards can ground legal practice in the AI era, and he and some of his collaborating practitioners will discuss further on a webinar in June. Ralph Losey examined standing instructions for ChatGPT on not talking about goblins as an example of how models are trained behind the scenes. Indictments snared attorneys from BigLaw regarding alleged insider trading with M&A information. OpenAI’s former in-house counsel scored funding from Y Combinator to build an AI-first law firm. ManifestOS is building a new legal operating system. A new Long Island, NY law firm specializes in blockchain and distributed ledger practice. Apple settled the suit over AI and Siri delays. A group of legal tech experts has written a book to guide practitioners called Law, Reinvented. London Magic Circle firms announced layoffs of technical, business, and marketing roles. Claude will no longer blackmail you when threatened, promised Anthropic. Ars Technica posited that Sony’s loss at the Supreme Court is “certain to have wide-ranging effects on copyright lawsuits, offering protection for ISPs, their customers, and potentially other technology companies whose services can be used for both legal and illegal purposes.”
- International eDiscovery Trends: Craig Ball released his updated Annotated ESI Protocol to include carve-outs and considerations for native, hyperlinked, and other emerging ESI sources. Mike Berman covered two cases moving in slightly different directions: one where agreement was deemed necessary for a 502(D) order and the other where introducing screenshots opened the door to a forensic examination of a cell phone, albeit with restrictions. eDiscovery AI released CaseBot with source citations at CLOC. Wired explained how to disable Chrome, many a reviewer’s browser of choice, in Gemini after users complained about a 4GB model downloaded without notice. Like many eDiscovery team members, the most prestigious job in AI has no description.
- World Events Impacting Legal Tech: The US trumpeted a 3-day ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia for a prisoner exchange during Moscow’s Victory Day celebration and will meet with China this week. Israel reportedly built an airbase inside Iraq to support airstrikes against Iran. Severe Oil shortages are reported by energy companies. A cyberattack against the Canvas platform interrupted final exams at campuses worldwide. eBay temporarily banned GameStop’s CEO from the platform during his hostile bid to buy eBay. Mexico reduced its school year to accommodate the World Cup.
Catch our latest syndicated EDRM Global Podcast Network episodes on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, and more.
Illumination Zone Podcasts
Recent guests include:
- Jeff Shapiro, Managing Director, Europe, HaystackID
- Jim Sullivan, Founder and CEO, eDiscovery AI
- Jon Robins, CTO and Vice President of eDiscovery, Level Legal
EDRM Announcements
- The 1H 2026 eDiscovery Business Confidence Survey, from ComplexDiscovery OÜ and EDRM, is now open. Please take five minutes to share your insights and help capture the pulse of our industry.
- EDRM released an open call for contributors for key projects, including the ESI Protocol Project, the Discovery Workflows Project, the AI-Ethics and Bias Project, and the Testimony Evidence Reference Model (TERM) Project. If you are interested in collaborating and contributing, please email us at info@edrm.net.
Weekly Community Support Call: Join us every Tuesday at 6PM Eastern on Zoom for support and camaraderie. Email info@edrm.net for an invitation to our 325th call. For mental health care, consider these professional resources.
All are welcome,
Mary and Holley
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P.S. This update was assisted by GAI and LLM Technologies as per EDRM’s GAI and LLM Policy.
