Study Finds AI and DIY Legal Help Are Backfiring for Many Americans

A new Burris Law survey of 1,000 U.S. adults finds that free legal tools are now a common first stop, but many users later discover mistakes, outdated guidance, or real-world consequences. The results point to a growing gap between how Americans seek legal help and how much they trust the answers they get.

Why it matters: - Many Americans are using AI, search engines, and DIY documents to avoid attorney fees. - The survey suggests those shortcuts can create delayed, costly, or hard-to-fix legal mistakes. - The findings matter most for documents and disputes that may not surface problems until months or years later.

What happened: - Burris Law surveyed 1,000 U.S. adults on how they handle legal questions and where they turn first. - 46% would turn to an AI assistant or search engine first with a legal question, compared with 32% who would go straight to an attorney. - In the past 12 months, 35% used an AI chatbot for a legal question or task, while 21% consulted an attorney. - 36% said do-it-yourself legal work caused a real problem, rising to 57% among Gen Z. - The full study is available here.

The details: - 78% of Americans have handled at least one legal matter without an attorney. - The most common self-handled issues were traffic citations (30%), rental or lease agreements (28%), consumer disputes (23%), employment issues (19%), contracts (14%), estate planning documents such as wills or powers of attorney (12%), and real estate or property matters (10%). - Among people who needed legal help in the past year, 84% say cost pushed them toward a cheaper substitute, a delay, or no help at all. - 35% handled the matter themselves, 29% used free or lower-cost online resources, 27% used AI instead of hiring an attorney, and 42% delayed the matter or dropped it entirely. - Saving money was the top reason for skipping an attorney for 49% of respondents and landed in the top three for 71%. - Only 4% said confidence that AI or online resources could do the job correctly was their top reason. - Confidence that AI or online resources could handle the work correctly ranked differently by age: boomers were most likely to say the matter seemed simple, while Gen Z was far more likely to cite difficulty reaching an attorney. - Among those who used AI for legal information, 34% later found it was wrong, outdated, or misleading, rising to 44% among millennials. - 76% agree AI-generated legal information should always be verified, but only 24% of people who use AI for legal help always verify it. - 14% say they cannot tell when a legal issue requires a licensed attorney. - 74% feel very or extremely confident relying on a licensed attorney, compared with 19% for an AI chatbot. - 58% report little or no confidence in an AI chatbot for legal information. - The study also found 51% used a search engine for a legal question in the past year, and 28% asked friends or family. - Gen Z and millennials were the heaviest AI users, while boomers were the most likely to begin with an attorney. - Gen Z also treats social platforms as a legal source at 37%, compared with 3% of boomers. - Among those open to using AI for legal paperwork, 30% would tell a court or the other party, 37% would not, and 33% were unsure.

Between the lines: - Cost appears to be driving behavior more than trust in the technology itself. - The survey suggests many users reach for AI or search first because the alternative feels expensive, not because they view those tools as more reliable. - The results also show a trust gap that widens as the stakes rise, especially for court documents and representation. - The biggest risk may be delayed discovery, since legal errors often emerge only when a third party reviews the paperwork. - Gen Z shows the highest DIY and AI exposure, while boomers show the strongest confidence in attorneys and the lowest willingness to disclose AI use.

What's next: - More Americans are likely to use AI and search tools for routine legal questions as cost pressures continue. - The study suggests the need for more verification before filing, signing, or relying on legal documents. - The report points to growing demand for affordable attorney access, especially for people who can identify a problem but cannot easily pay for advice. - Burris Law is a family-owned California law practice headquartered in Orange County, with an office in Ventura. - The firm focuses on probate, trust administration, estate planning, real estate law, and business law.