Danny Wilf-Townsend
@dannywt.bsky.social
Associate Professor of Law at Georgetown Law thinking, writing, and teaching about civil procedure, consumer protection, and AI.
Blog: https://www.wilftownsend.net/
Academic papers: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=2491047
Blog: https://www.wilftownsend.net/
Academic papers: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=2491047
A periodic update about the frequency and intensity of AI use in legal practice: Thomson Reuters reports that 55% of generative AI users at law firms use it at least daily, with 30% multiple times a day:
February 9, 2026 at 8:40 PM
A periodic update about the frequency and intensity of AI use in legal practice: Thomson Reuters reports that 55% of generative AI users at law firms use it at least daily, with 30% multiple times a day:
Happy to see a cameo here from one of my favorite tests in all of the law: whether a procedural rule is really a procedural rule depends on whether it "really regulates procedure."
Berk v. Choy is here! SCOTUS holds that Fed. R. Civ. P. 8 and Delaware law “give different answers to the question whether Berk’s complaint can be dismissed as insufficient because it was unaccompanied by an affidavit,” and Rule 8 governs in federal court. www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25p...
www.supremecourt.gov
January 20, 2026 at 3:34 PM
Happy to see a cameo here from one of my favorite tests in all of the law: whether a procedural rule is really a procedural rule depends on whether it "really regulates procedure."
Reposted by Danny Wilf-Townsend
Imagine, there are still people who think the United States should switch to the metric system and abandon common sense units of measurement like this
January 8, 2026 at 2:42 PM
Imagine, there are still people who think the United States should switch to the metric system and abandon common sense units of measurement like this
Reposted by Danny Wilf-Townsend
some good climate/energy news:
* 96% of new US power capacity was carbon-free in 2024 (56 gigawatts!)
* 2025 included the first month ever when 51% of power on the U.S. grid was carbon-free
* The golbal trend is overwhelming: The world is now investing more $ in clean energy than fossil fuels
* 96% of new US power capacity was carbon-free in 2024 (56 gigawatts!)
* 2025 included the first month ever when 51% of power on the U.S. grid was carbon-free
* The golbal trend is overwhelming: The world is now investing more $ in clean energy than fossil fuels
Clean energy is going to win. It's just a question of when.
Clean energy is still winning. These 10 charts prove it.
Solar and wind are beating new power demand, steelmaking is slowly getting off coal, and more clean energy victories are clear in these charts.
www.canarymedia.com
December 26, 2025 at 2:09 PM
some good climate/energy news:
* 96% of new US power capacity was carbon-free in 2024 (56 gigawatts!)
* 2025 included the first month ever when 51% of power on the U.S. grid was carbon-free
* The golbal trend is overwhelming: The world is now investing more $ in clean energy than fossil fuels
* 96% of new US power capacity was carbon-free in 2024 (56 gigawatts!)
* 2025 included the first month ever when 51% of power on the U.S. grid was carbon-free
* The golbal trend is overwhelming: The world is now investing more $ in clean energy than fossil fuels
Reposted by Danny Wilf-Townsend
I have a new post out in @lawfaremedia.org today about continual learning, the goal of many AI developers to build tools that can learn from their users. That technology could have many uses, but also will challenge existing ways we are trying to regulate AI. www.lawfaremedia.org/article/when...
When AI Models Can Continually Learn, Will Our Regulations Be Able to Keep Up?
Regulation has already been hard enough for static AI models.
www.lawfaremedia.org
December 18, 2025 at 10:43 PM
I have a new post out in @lawfaremedia.org today about continual learning, the goal of many AI developers to build tools that can learn from their users. That technology could have many uses, but also will challenge existing ways we are trying to regulate AI. www.lawfaremedia.org/article/when...
I have a new post out in @lawfaremedia.org today about continual learning, the goal of many AI developers to build tools that can learn from their users. That technology could have many uses, but also will challenge existing ways we are trying to regulate AI. www.lawfaremedia.org/article/when...
When AI Models Can Continually Learn, Will Our Regulations Be Able to Keep Up?
Regulation has already been hard enough for static AI models.
www.lawfaremedia.org
December 18, 2025 at 10:43 PM
I have a new post out in @lawfaremedia.org today about continual learning, the goal of many AI developers to build tools that can learn from their users. That technology could have many uses, but also will challenge existing ways we are trying to regulate AI. www.lawfaremedia.org/article/when...
Reposted by Danny Wilf-Townsend
Regulating static AI models is already difficult and if AI tools will become ones that can learn, regulations will need to adapt quickly. @dannywt.bsky.social explores what new regulatory approaches could look like in a future where change is common and comes fast.
When AI Models Can Continually Learn, Will Our Regulations Be Able to Keep Up?
Regulation has already been hard enough for static AI models.
www.lawfaremedia.org
December 18, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Regulating static AI models is already difficult and if AI tools will become ones that can learn, regulations will need to adapt quickly. @dannywt.bsky.social explores what new regulatory approaches could look like in a future where change is common and comes fast.
A thoughtful thread on the Netflix / Warner Bros merger. I think the points about consumer preferences are particularly important — it’s sometimes hard, but often important, to tease apart when law and policy arguments are inflected by different preferences about product features
The hate is real, and, contra the headline, it is not so secret. And the op-eds opposing the Netflix/WB merger have begun. But, as an antitrust lawyer, I think the merger is likely to be pro-competitive and good for consumers. I'll explain why. 1/ www.nytimes.com/2025/12/07/o...
Opinion | Everybody in Hollywood Secretly Hates Netflix. So Now What?
www.nytimes.com
December 9, 2025 at 2:31 PM
A thoughtful thread on the Netflix / Warner Bros merger. I think the points about consumer preferences are particularly important — it’s sometimes hard, but often important, to tease apart when law and policy arguments are inflected by different preferences about product features
Reposted by Danny Wilf-Townsend
The hate is real, and, contra the headline, it is not so secret. And the op-eds opposing the Netflix/WB merger have begun. But, as an antitrust lawyer, I think the merger is likely to be pro-competitive and good for consumers. I'll explain why. 1/ www.nytimes.com/2025/12/07/o...
Opinion | Everybody in Hollywood Secretly Hates Netflix. So Now What?
www.nytimes.com
December 7, 2025 at 5:35 PM
The hate is real, and, contra the headline, it is not so secret. And the op-eds opposing the Netflix/WB merger have begun. But, as an antitrust lawyer, I think the merger is likely to be pro-competitive and good for consumers. I'll explain why. 1/ www.nytimes.com/2025/12/07/o...
An update for Sonnet 4.5, released last week: it scored 60.2% on my final exam (with extended thinking on, 54.4% without it). That's a big step up (~20 percentage points) from Opus 4.1's scores, and puts Sonnet 4.5 close to, if slightly behind, other lead models. On a human curve, that's ~ an A-/B+
For my latest round of informal tests of large language models, I looked at how good different models are at taking a law school exam—and also whether they are capable of grading exam answers in a consistent and reasonably accurate way. 🧵
www.wilftownsend.net/p/chatgpt-ta...
www.wilftownsend.net/p/chatgpt-ta...
ChatGPT takes—and grades—my law school exam
The latest round of informal testing of large language models on legal questions
www.wilftownsend.net
October 6, 2025 at 1:32 PM
An update for Sonnet 4.5, released last week: it scored 60.2% on my final exam (with extended thinking on, 54.4% without it). That's a big step up (~20 percentage points) from Opus 4.1's scores, and puts Sonnet 4.5 close to, if slightly behind, other lead models. On a human curve, that's ~ an A-/B+
One other note: across the five exam answers and dozens of answer evaluations generated here, I did not notice a single hallucination. This test wasn't designed to measure hallucination rates, but it's consistent with the general sense that they have dropped significantly
For my latest round of informal tests of large language models, I looked at how good different models are at taking a law school exam—and also whether they are capable of grading exam answers in a consistent and reasonably accurate way. 🧵
www.wilftownsend.net/p/chatgpt-ta...
www.wilftownsend.net/p/chatgpt-ta...
ChatGPT takes—and grades—my law school exam
The latest round of informal testing of large language models on legal questions
www.wilftownsend.net
October 3, 2025 at 1:22 PM
One other note: across the five exam answers and dozens of answer evaluations generated here, I did not notice a single hallucination. This test wasn't designed to measure hallucination rates, but it's consistent with the general sense that they have dropped significantly
Reposted by Danny Wilf-Townsend
Our office is again hiring one or more attorneys for a one-year fellowship to work directly with the Illinois Solicitor General and her team, beginning in August/September 2026.
www.governmentjobs.com/careers/ilag...
www.governmentjobs.com/careers/ilag...
Job Opportunities | Office of the Illinois Attorney General
www.governmentjobs.com
October 1, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Our office is again hiring one or more attorneys for a one-year fellowship to work directly with the Illinois Solicitor General and her team, beginning in August/September 2026.
www.governmentjobs.com/careers/ilag...
www.governmentjobs.com/careers/ilag...
For my latest round of informal tests of large language models, I looked at how good different models are at taking a law school exam—and also whether they are capable of grading exam answers in a consistent and reasonably accurate way. 🧵
www.wilftownsend.net/p/chatgpt-ta...
www.wilftownsend.net/p/chatgpt-ta...
ChatGPT takes—and grades—my law school exam
The latest round of informal testing of large language models on legal questions
www.wilftownsend.net
October 1, 2025 at 1:58 PM
For my latest round of informal tests of large language models, I looked at how good different models are at taking a law school exam—and also whether they are capable of grading exam answers in a consistent and reasonably accurate way. 🧵
www.wilftownsend.net/p/chatgpt-ta...
www.wilftownsend.net/p/chatgpt-ta...
It was very nice to have two of my recent articles featured in JOTWELL reviews this month—Maureen Carroll on "Deterring Unenforceable Terms," courtslaw.jotwell.com/should-draft...
and @margotkaminski.bsky.social on "The Deletion Remedy" cyber.jotwell.com/ai-disgorgem...
and @margotkaminski.bsky.social on "The Deletion Remedy" cyber.jotwell.com/ai-disgorgem...
Should drafters be penalized for clearly unenforceable terms? - Courts Law
Daniel Wilf-Townsend, Deterring Unenforceable Terms, 111 Va. L. Rev. __ (forthcoming 2025), available at SSRN (June 6, 2024).Maureen CarrollMost of us (if not all) have entered a contract with one or ...
courtslaw.jotwell.com
September 29, 2025 at 1:46 PM
It was very nice to have two of my recent articles featured in JOTWELL reviews this month—Maureen Carroll on "Deterring Unenforceable Terms," courtslaw.jotwell.com/should-draft...
and @margotkaminski.bsky.social on "The Deletion Remedy" cyber.jotwell.com/ai-disgorgem...
and @margotkaminski.bsky.social on "The Deletion Remedy" cyber.jotwell.com/ai-disgorgem...
A nice quick read from my colleague @JonahPerlin about an issue that I see a lot of people oversimplifying: whether an attorney's use of a generative AI tool waives privilege. This is an area where I'm very interested to see how the law develops. news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
No, Generative AI Didn’t Just Kill the Attorney-Client Privilege
Opinion: Georgetown Law professor Jonah Perlin says using third-party technology doesn't categorically waive the attorney-client privilege.
news.bloomberglaw.com
August 12, 2025 at 7:12 PM
A nice quick read from my colleague @JonahPerlin about an issue that I see a lot of people oversimplifying: whether an attorney's use of a generative AI tool waives privilege. This is an area where I'm very interested to see how the law develops. news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
Reposted by Danny Wilf-Townsend
In a stunning moment of self-delusion, the Wall Street Journal headline writers admitted that they don't know how LLM chatbots work.
July 21, 2025 at 1:48 AM
In a stunning moment of self-delusion, the Wall Street Journal headline writers admitted that they don't know how LLM chatbots work.
A very pleasant surprise to listen to one of my favorite podcasts and hear my own work being discussed. And it's an excellent episode and overview for anyone thinking of AI's effects on the legal profession. Some thoughts / suggestions below for anyone who wants further reading:
NEW ODD LOTS:
We talked to the legend @wertwhile.bsky.social about how AI is already reshaping the practice of law.
A must listen, with out friend Joel
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/w...
We talked to the legend @wertwhile.bsky.social about how AI is already reshaping the practice of law.
A must listen, with out friend Joel
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/w...
What AI Is Already Doing to the Legal Industry
Podcast Episode · Odd Lots · 07/17/2025 · 49m
podcasts.apple.com
July 17, 2025 at 5:02 PM
A very pleasant surprise to listen to one of my favorite podcasts and hear my own work being discussed. And it's an excellent episode and overview for anyone thinking of AI's effects on the legal profession. Some thoughts / suggestions below for anyone who wants further reading:
Reposted by Danny Wilf-Townsend
Judge Alsup has the first true opinion on fair use for generative AI in Bartz v. Anthropic. He holds that AI training is fair use, and so is buying books to scan them, but that downloading pirated copies of books for an internal training-data database is not fair use. 🧵
🚨BREAKING: Federal judge concludes that using copyrighted works to train generative A.I. is transformative and ultimately a fair use. (Nevertheless, Anthropic can’t beat the lawsuit because it pirated books for another purpose too.) First of kind ruling. www.documentcloud.org/documents/25...
Bartz
www.documentcloud.org
June 24, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Judge Alsup has the first true opinion on fair use for generative AI in Bartz v. Anthropic. He holds that AI training is fair use, and so is buying books to scan them, but that downloading pirated copies of books for an internal training-data database is not fair use. 🧵
I think this is one of the more common mistakes I see with people trying AI—the idea that if you go to a free chatbot, quickly run a question by it, and it does a bad job, then you've learned that AI cannot do a good job on that question.
June 17, 2025 at 1:45 PM
I think this is one of the more common mistakes I see with people trying AI—the idea that if you go to a free chatbot, quickly run a question by it, and it does a bad job, then you've learned that AI cannot do a good job on that question.
Significant ruling in one of the big algorithmic price-fixing lawsuits going on right now: www.reuters.com/legal/govern...
US judge rules health insurers, MultiPlan must face price-fixing lawsuits
A U.S. judge on Tuesday said healthcare providers can pursue claims that technology provider MultiPlan and a group of insurers conspired to underpay them billions of dollars in reimbursements for out-of-network health services.
www.reuters.com
June 16, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Significant ruling in one of the big algorithmic price-fixing lawsuits going on right now: www.reuters.com/legal/govern...
A good thread on a big new generative AI / IP lawsuit—Disney and Universal vs. Midjourney
Personally, if I had a machine that egregiously and blatantly violated copyright, I wouldn't have a public "explore page," because the copyright holders might publish 18 pages of examples of me violating their copyright. Suit also includes tons of Reddit guides to doing so too. Oof!
![179. Yet another Reddit user created a post of “Some of my fave Marvel
generations! [prompt in comment]” in the r/Midjourney Subreddit, along with the prompts
that were used and the tag “Prompt-Sharing:”17
180. Additionally, in an article on the popular website Medium titled “Recreating
Classic Disney 1930s Style Animation with Midjourney AI,” user InstantAI provided
sample prompts for Midjourney to generate copies of Disney’s Copyrighted Works,
including Snow White. In response to one of these prompts, Midjourney accessed the data
about Disney’s Copyrighted Works that is stored by the Image Service and then generated
the following image which infringes Disney’s Snow White character:](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:qc6xzgctorfsm35w6i3vdebx/bafkreihp5no4x2iy55hasu6o7hxh6qldl4fzfcoo7pjmu4wmw7xsinig7e@jpeg)
June 12, 2025 at 2:01 PM
A good thread on a big new generative AI / IP lawsuit—Disney and Universal vs. Midjourney
Reposted by Danny Wilf-Townsend
ChatGPT is down but The Museum of English Rural Life still stands, proving once again that Silicon Valley cannot compete with the history of rural England and its people.
June 10, 2025 at 12:41 PM
ChatGPT is down but The Museum of English Rural Life still stands, proving once again that Silicon Valley cannot compete with the history of rural England and its people.
I've had a few recent conversations with judges and law profs who haven't tried generative AI, or have only used it for a few minutes to write a poem or other trivial fun. After a few people asked me about how to start, I thought I'd write up my suggestions: www.wilftownsend.net/p/some-ideas...
Some ideas for judges, lawyers, and legal academics on trying generative AI
On the usefulness of personal experience, and suggestions about what to try
www.wilftownsend.net
June 10, 2025 at 1:36 PM
I've had a few recent conversations with judges and law profs who haven't tried generative AI, or have only used it for a few minutes to write a poem or other trivial fun. After a few people asked me about how to start, I thought I'd write up my suggestions: www.wilftownsend.net/p/some-ideas...
Reposted by Danny Wilf-Townsend
After years of studying AI & law here’s my rule of thumb: Lawyers should only use AI only when they can confidently assess, adapt & explain its output without engaging in deep, independent thinking about the core legal/factual issues. More in my new essay: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
<p><span>Thinking Like A Lawyer In The Age Of Generative AI: Cognitive Limits On AI Adoption Among Lawyers</span></p>
As of mid-2025, there is robust evidence that generative AI possesses the technological capability to significantly reshape legal practice. Yet legal markets an
papers.ssrn.com
May 21, 2025 at 2:21 PM
After years of studying AI & law here’s my rule of thumb: Lawyers should only use AI only when they can confidently assess, adapt & explain its output without engaging in deep, independent thinking about the core legal/factual issues. More in my new essay: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....