Bench & Bar May/June 2026

FEATURE: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Finally, we use it to write code. One per sistent limitation of the Microsoft ecosystem is the absence of a true universal findandre place function across multiple documents. I possess the necessary Visual Basic skills, but there is no reason to spend my time when GPT can generate the code in seconds. If I need to update a date that appears in several documents, I simply ask GPT to draft the code which I then run in Developer tab of Microsoft Word. The date is updated across Estate planning and elder law are practice areas where the fruit ripens slowly. It may be years before the work proves sustaining or rotten. Our processes must be set up with that in mind. While we have many elements in our IT policy, the two bedrock rules are simple: business and enterprise subscrip tions only and human review always. The payoff isn’t just efficiency—it’s durable, defensible outcomes backed by clear policy and a culture that puts professional respon sibility first. all open documents in seconds. BUILT FOR THE LONG GAME

task lists, or Loop components (our digital whiteboard). 2. NOTEBOOKLM - GOOGLE BUSINESS LICENSE We upload our own sources into individ ual Notebooks which serve as project files for recurring practice matters ( e.g. , tax law issues, KRS 389A, Medicaid applications). These serve several purposes: First, we use them as a learning library to enhance and test our knowledge of a subject by que rying the sources, creating podcasts and quizzes, etc. Second, we use Notebooks to update and refine our workflows and to keep up to date on changes to frequently referenced laws and sources. When the Medicaid eligibility rules changed with respect to Required Minimum Districu tiosn RMDs) 5 from Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), my Notebook caught the change immediately. This was before I had noticed it through more conventional means. Lastly, we use Notebooks as a draft ing aid where we need to draw heavily on our sources. For example, we use it to help write plain language summary letters for Medicaid workers who process applications. These letters require citations to federal and state code, regulations, and the Kentucky Medicaid operations manual. NotbookLM assists in verbiage and citations but never replaces legal and practical judgment. 3. CHATGPT BUSINESS We utilize ChatGPT as a tailored search engine. When searching for a missing heir or current custodian of a client’s account, projects set up specifically for the tasks complete them quickly and thoroughly at little to no cost to the client. We utilize GPT when writing articles and conference presentations. One project searches the internet for similar presen tations, articles, and other sources. Our “Write Like Me” project draws on prior writing samples which it keeps for refer ence. It contains detailed instructions about style, content, and verification of sources. Before submitting any work for presentation or publication, I ask the project to review it. If its suggestions are sound, I revise my work. 6

SHELLY ANN KAMEI is the owner and lead attorney at Ken tucky Legacy Law , serving clients from

offices in Louisville and Bardstown. Her practice focuses on estate planning, elder law, special needs law, guardianship, and probate. She graduated with honors from the University of San Diego School of Law and is completing a Tax LL.M. at Boston University, with expected graduation in August 2026. Licensed in both Kentucky and California, she is an active member of the Kentucky Bar Association Elder Law Section, the Kentucky Guardianship Asso ciation, and the Kentucky Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA). She has served on the boards of all three organizations and remains committed to advancing the practice of elder and disability law throughout the Commonwealth. She also supports the Speed Art Museum and the Filson His torical Society. Before entering the legal profession, Kamei worked in information technology as a technical writer, trainer, and project manager.

ENDNOTES 1 In software, a tenant is a logically separate environment within a shared system where a single organization’s users, data, settings, and activity are isolated from those of other organizations. Although multiple tenants may run on the same underlying infrastructure, each tenant operates as if it were its own private workspace. For example, Microsoft 365 is software used by many organizations, but each organization has its own tenant in which its data is kept separate from that of other Microsoft 365 users. 2 And as serious as these risks already are, quantum computing will make them even more urgent. A quan tum computer is a new kind of machine that can try millions of possible answers at the same time, instead of checking them one-by-one like normal computers. That means it will eventually be powerful enough to break the digital locks—our current encryption—that protect emails, bank records, client files, and even government secrets. Experts warn that once these machines reach full strength, they could unlock en crypted information in minutes. Criminals and foreign actors already know this, which is why some are collecting encrypted data today so they can “open it later” once quantum computers are ready. In plain terms: When quantum computing arrives, any sensitive document that isn’t protected by new, quantumsafe security could be read like an open book. That future isn’t here yet, but it’s close enough that major compa nies, the U.S. government, and cybersecurity experts are urging everyone to prepare now. 3 Even that may not be enough if the data behind the redaction can be inferred from other data available to the AI. If the AI can infer a redacted identity by analyzing contextual clues within the document, it may reconstruct what the human drafter believed was concealed. 4 Wake words are predefined phrases (such as “Hey Siri,” “Alexa,” or “Ok Google”) that always-on devices are programmed to detect in order to activate voice recording or command processing. To recognize these trigger phrases, such devices continuously monitor ambient audio, even when they appear to be idle. 5 Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) are mandatory withdrawals that must be taken annually from certain taxdeferred retirement accounts, such as traditional IRAs, once the account holder reaches the age specified under federal tax law. Failure to take an RMD can result in significant IRS penalties, and RMD amounts are generally treated as countable income for Medicaid eligibility purposes. 6 After initial drafting, this article was reviewed by Copilot, Gemini, and ChatGPT. All made helpful substan tive suggestions as well as flagging grammatical errors and deviations from my KYLL style guide. Ironically, Gemini was far more defensive of the abilities of Copilot than Copilot itself.

18 may/june 2026