Use Claude for this… not that.
I was recently talking with a client who said, “I love Claude. It answers my questions in 2 seconds.”
Yes, AI is amazing. It’s fast, convenient, and can help you learn a lot in a very short amount of time. (I use it a lot!)
But be VERY cautious with AI around legal questions.
It’s a little like asking Claude:
“What’s the best supplement for me to take?”
The answer depends, doesn’t it?
- What’s your health history?
- What symptoms are you experiencing?
- What medications are you taking?
- What are your goals?
A supplement that’s perfect for one person might be completely inappropriate for someone else. (You already know that if you’re a health coach or medical practitioner.)
Legal questions work the same way.
When someone asks Claude:
“Should I trademark?”
“Do I need an LLC?”
“Can I use this title?”
“Can I offer this service online?”
The truth is often:
It depends.
It depends on your goals. Your income. Your title. Your business structure. Your desired impact.
That’s where AI can get tripped up. It doesn’t know all of that (even when you tell it.)
DO use Claude for these legal questions:
✅ Understanding legal definitions and concepts – like “What’s a trademark?”
✅ Learning business structure basics – like “What’s an LLC? What’s an S-Corp?”
✅ Learning general online business concepts – like “Do I have to register my biz as a Sole Proprietor?”
✅ Discovering legal best practices – like “When’s the right time to send a cease and desist letter?”
Think of it as a “really smart research assistant”. But it’s not a lawyer.
DON’T use Claude for:
🚫 Drafting disclaimers, contracts or agreements.
(AI writes really short, crappy documents with entire sections missing.)
🚫 Getting legal clarity about your scope of practice.
(AI often gets it wrong about state laws.)
🚫 Clarity on the scope of medicine versus coaching.
(AI doesn’t understand the different requirements when you’re offering an online course as a doctor versus a coach, for example.)
🚫 Choosing the right business entity.
(AI doesn’t know what your long-term goals are.)
🚫 Deciding whether a title, program name, or wording is safe.
(AI doesn’t know the nuances of medicine and coaching and which language is right for each.)
I promise you I’m not just “saying that” because I’m a lawyer. I’m not being overly-cautious. I’m not being self-oriented.
I’m saying it because it’s true.
AI can give you general information, but it doesn’t know all the facts about your business.
It doesn’t know your:
- specific profession
- state laws
- licensing board rules
- offers and services
- long and short-term goals
- …or the nuances that make all the difference legally.
I’m all about using Claude to help you learn concepts, brainstorm ideas, create rough drafts, and more. (I do this too!)
But when it comes to making legal decisions to protect your business, it’s essential to get personalized legal guidance.
If you’ve used Claude to research a legal question or created legal documents before realizing that Claude likely left huge gaps in your protection, I’d be happy to help.
Book a free 20-minute Legal Chat with my team here.
I’ll help you understand where the AI info you’ve gotten already is solid, where it needs to be adjusted – and how to move forward feeling safe, secure, confident, and empowered.
