DoNotPay was the world's first robot lawyer

DoNotPay was the world's first robot lawyer
	FALSE
	"DoNotPay's artificial intelligence could replace a human lawyer, drafting legal documents and handling legal disputes as well as an attorney."
Domain	Technology & Internet
Tactic	Fraud or Scam;
Era	Current
First seen	2015
Origin	DoNotPay's own marketing as "the world's first robot lawyer," from about 2015
Last reviewed	2026-10-30
	Further reading: books on Technology & Internet

DoNotPay, founded by Joshua Browder, began as a tool for contesting parking tickets and grew into a subscription service marketed as "the world's first robot lawyer." It promised to generate lawsuits, legal documents and demand letters using AI. In 2023, Browder announced plans to have the AI advise a defendant in a real courtroom through earbuds, then dropped the plan after warnings from bar officials.

The Federal Trade Commission found the company had not tested whether its AI performed like a lawyer.

What the evidence shows

FTC findings. The FTC said DoNotPay did not test whether its AI's output matched the level of a human lawyer and did not employ or retain attorneys to check quality.
Order. In a settlement announced in September 2024 and finalized in early 2025, DoNotPay agreed to pay $193,000 and to notify subscribers, and was barred from claiming its service could substitute for a lawyer without evidence.
AI enforcement. The case was part of an FTC sweep against deceptive AI claims called "Operation AI Comply."

Why it matters

AI products are often sold with claims that outpace what they can do. Legal advice is an area where wrong output can cause real harm.

Sources

Federal Trade Commission, "FTC Announces Crackdown on Deceptive AI Claims and Schemes," September 25, 2024.
Federal Trade Commission, "FTC Finalizes Order with DoNotPay That Prohibits Deceptive 'AI Lawyer' Claims," February 2025.
NPR, "A robot was scheduled to argue in court, then came the jail threats," January 2023.