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Lawyer allegedly misappropriated up to $30m
Clive Palmer alleges former lawyer Sam Iskander misappropriated up to $30m, NSWCA comments on the use of AI by self represented litigants in May v Costaras [2025] NSWCA 178.
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May v Costaras [2025] NSWCA 178 (8 August 2025)
[49] The respondent, who was self-represented before the primary judge and in this Court, candidly explained that she had used an artificial intelligence program (in conjunction with some or all of the material in the appeal books) to prepare her written submissions and certain “slides” which she read to the Court as part of her oral address. This gave rise to a number of difficulties. The first was that a large number of authorities were referred to by the respondent. Most had little, if anything, to do with the issues in this case. One authority, at least, was an hallucination. Secondly, the written and oral submissions made by the respondent travelled well outside the issues raised by the appeal and addressed, for example, claims that if they were available to be made at all, should have been made by cross-appeal. It would be unfair to the appellant to act upon claims forming no part of the appeal. Thirdly, whilst a sincere attempt was made by the respondent to address the legal issues as she understood them, her submissions were of no real assistance to the Court. The respondent’s written and oral submissions were a cogent demonstration that the use of artificial intelligence by non-legally trained users is likely to add to the cost and complexity of legal proceedings without appreciable benefit. It may be that more intrusive case management techniques will need to be employed in future to seek to prevent self-represented litigants from unfairly increasing the costs and complexity of proceedings by the use of artificial intelligence. Since drafting the above, I have read the additional remarks of the Chief Justice about the use of Generative AI in the preparation of submissions, with which I agree.
High Court special leave results - 6 grants.
Today’s FCA livestream - VID312/2021 Minnie McDonald v Cth - YouTube
Votes for 16 year olds - Age and the Right to Vote - Anne Twomey - YouTube
This video discusses proposals for the vote to be given to 16 and 17 year olds at the federal level in Australia. It explains the effect of the Commonwealth Constitution, including section 41, on the minimum voting age and the history of changing the minimum voting age, particularly during war.
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It concludes by discussing whether any expansion of the franchise to 16 and 17 year olds could later be wound back - both as a constitutional and a political matter.
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Sorry I snapped at you... Westlaw froze and 27 tabs are gone, I still haven't put in my time for July, I have 30 hours of CLE due in four months, and my suit felt weird.
— litigation_god (@GodLitigation)
12:30 PM • Aug 8, 2025
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