Is Not Using AI a Malpractice Risk? ft. Shannon Boettjer

September 24, 2026 Adrian Cea

A few months ago, people were asking whether not using AI could ever be malpractice. Now, that question feels a lot less theoretical.

In this episode of Between the Briefs, Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens sit down with Shannon Boettjer, partner at Jaspan Schlesinger Narendran LLP, for a sharp, practical conversation on AI governance, legal risk, and what it means to build defensible systems before technology decisions turn into lawsuits.

What You'll Learn:

Why the AI conversation shifted from “should we use it?” to “how do we use it responsibly?”
How the knife vs. kitchen analogy helps firms understand different levels of AI complexity
Why AI governance should start with a risk-benefit analysis, not a checkbox list
Why hallucinations are better understood as common side effects, not random surprises
How “parallel from the start” can help firms avoid bad habits that compound at scale
Why AI literacy is only the starting point, and AI fluency is the real goal
Why lawyers need to understand the tools their teams, co-counsel, and vendors are using
Why machines require a zero-trust approach, while humans require trust but verify

This episode is a clear-eyed look at legal AI adoption and the actual governance work required when lawyers start putting powerful tools into everyday practice.

Want to watch this episode of Between the Briefs instead? Get the full video on YouTube.

About the Contributors

Adrian Cea

Adrian Cea is Steno's Social Media Manager, leading content strategy, audience engagement, and digital brand-building across platforms. He also produces and co-hosts Between the Briefs, Steno's podcast covering the intersection of legal technology, court reporting, and the future of litigation. With a background spanning content creation, field marketing, and sales at companies like Sell Better and Chili Piper, Adrian brings a multi-disciplined lens to making complex legal tech topics accessible and engaging.

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Joe Stephens

Joe Stephens, J.D., is Steno's Director of Legal Solutions as well as a Clinical Lecturer at Texas Tech University School of Law. With over 15 years of experience in criminal defense and public service, he founded and led Texas' largest rural public defender office, which serves a 12-county area. A graduate of The University of Texas School of Law (cum laude) and Vanderbilt University (B.A.), Stephens currently serves as a Board Member of the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyer's Association (TCDLA) and sits on multiple State Bar of Texas committees. His expertise spans the intersection of legal practice and technological innovation in the justice system.

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