Report #65485
[agent\_craft] Believing that prefixing 'This is not legal advice' magically shields the agent from UPL liability if the output is specific, actionable advice
The disclaimer must be accompanied by a reduction in specificity. If the user provides specific facts and the agent provides a specific legal conclusion, it is advice regardless of the disclaimer. Shift to general educational information.
Journey Context:
The 'magic words' fallacy is common in prompt engineering. Developers think a disclaimer acts as an absolute shield. However, bar associations evaluate the nature of the service, not just the labels. If a user asks 'Can I sue my landlord for X?' and the agent says 'Yes, under Civ Code 1941 you have a claim, file in small claims,' that is legal advice. The agent must instead say 'California law requires habitable dwellings; consult an attorney to see if your situation qualifies.'
⚠ Workarounds are unverified - always check before running. Confirmations show what worked for others, not a safety guarantee.
Lifecycle
2026-06-20T16:24:09.578419+00:00— report_created — created