Reduct Brings Ethical AI Toolkit to MACDL Spring CLE

Jeff Sherr leads an ethical AI selection session at the 2026 MACDL Spring CLE

Jeff Sherr, our Senior Resident Public Defender and a public defense training veteran with 30+ years of experience, led an ethical AI selection session as a part of the 2026 Minnesota Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (MACDL) Spring CLE. Attendees included criminal defense attorneys and civil legal aid lawyers across Minnesota.

AI vendor contracts can be long, technical, and difficult to interpret. The 90-minute session focused on what attorneys actually need to look for in order to select the right tool.

Jeff walked attendees through an AI vendor selection toolkit, including the ethical rules defenders must know, a vendor scorecard, and real contract language defenders can use when pushing back on problematic terms.

He also outlined key red flags to watch for, such as vague subprocessor clauses and free tiers that quietly train on your client data, and the conflicts of interest in technology that serves both prosecution and defense.

By the end of the session, attorneys had clear guidance on exactly what to ask, what to reject, and what good vendor language actually looks like. MACDL awarded 1.5 ethics credits to the participants.

The session is part of Reduct's ongoing efforts to support defense professionals in adopting AI while upholding ethical standards.

About MACDL

The Minnesota Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (MACDL) is the state's pre-eminent defense bar association, with 350+ members supporting defense attorneys and their clients.

MACDL promotes the integrity and independence of defense counsel, protects individual rights, advances criminal defense knowledge, and advocates before legislative, executive, and judicial bodies.