Colorado becomes the first state to amend its lawyer ethics rules for AI
On January 8, 2026, the Colorado Supreme Court approved AI-related amendments to the Colorado Rules of Professional Conduct, including a new Scope paragraph, a revised Comment [8] and a new Comment [9] to Rule 1.1 on competence.
The new Comment [9] to Rule 1.1 notes that a lawyer’s use of technology, particularly AI, can implicate other rules, including those on communication (Rule 1.4), communications about a lawyer’s services (Rule 7.1) and bias (Rule 8.4(g)), and that reliance on technology does not diminish the lawyer’s duty of independent judgment.
The Supreme Court adopted its Standing Committee’s recommendations without changes after public comment and a hearing.
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