EsqHarnessLegal AI Control Automation · by ALCBar
3 minutes now, or a $10,000 sanction later.
EsqHarness plugs into the AI (Claude, ChatGPT, etc.) you already use, and enforces your firm’s AI use policy to every chat. Before your AI hands you a draft, it checks every case and quotation against real court records, tells you your court’s AI rules, and drafts the disclosure the judge requires. And, with fines increasing, using a firm-specific harness is no longer optional for any lawyer.
Setup takes about 3 minutes · Covers up to 10 attorneys · First 30 days free · Pay nothing if we miss November 3, 2026 · Cancel anytime
Not sure yet? Get your free AI Practice Risk Score.
Why this exists
One California Brief, $10,000
21 of 23
quotations in the opening brief were fabricated by AI. In Noland v. Land of the Free, L.P. (2025) 114 Cal.App.5th 426, the Court of Appeal sanctioned the attorney $10,000 and referred the matter to the State Bar.
Source: the published opinion.
The quotations looked real. Nobody checked them against the cases before the brief was filed.
From January 1, 2027, California’s SB 574 (Stats. 2026, ch. 858) adds verification and court disclosure duties for AI-assisted filings. Many federal judges already require disclosure in their standing orders.
A harness is the set of instructions and checks that control how your AI works. EsqHarness builds one for your firm, keeps it current, and puts it inside the AI tools you already pay for.
What you see
Your AI Checks Its Own Work Before You Do
You: Check this before I file it. “As the court said, ‘purple contracts signed on the moon are void as against public policy in every state.’ Smith v. Nobody, 999 F.4th 99999 (9th Cir. 2024).”
Claude, with EsqHarness:
NOT FOUND The quotation does not appear in any opinion in the case law database.
NOT FOUND Smith v. Nobody, 999 F.4th 99999: no matching case.
Do not file this until you have the original opinion in hand. Attorney check required before filing.
EsqHarness checks quotations and case citations against CourtListener, the free case law database of the nonprofit Free Law Project, which holds millions of court opinions.
A real quotation comes back with the cases it appears in. A made-up one comes back as not found, before it reaches a judge.
A check finds what the database holds. A “found” result does not mean the case supports your point, and some recent or unpublished opinions may be missing. You still read what you cite.
What your firm gets
Six Things, Kept Current Every Month
3-minute setup
Paste one link into the settings of Claude or ChatGPT. No software to install, no IT person needed.
Checks inside Claude and ChatGPT
Citations and quotations checked against court records, court AI rules looked up, and a draft AI disclosure for the judge, all in the chat you already use.
Your firm’s harness
An AI use policy and AI instructions written for the courts your firm files in, approved by one of your attorneys, with every version kept.
Rules library
California rules, ethics opinions, sanctions decisions and federal standing orders on AI, each linked to its source and checked by a person.
Court watch
Every week we check the source pages for changes, and your harness is updated when a rule changes.
Monthly record
A one-page record for your files: the policy in force, who approved it, the rules tracked and every brief checked.
Covers up to 10 attorneys. California first; other states follow.
How it works
Three Steps, About 3 Minutes
Reserve your spot
Start your 30 free days with a card; nothing is charged today. Then tell us the courts your firm files in and the attorneys covered.
Approve your harness
We send you your firm’s policy and AI instructions. One attorney reads them and clicks Approve.
Paste one link
In Claude or ChatGPT, open the settings, add your EsqHarness link, and switch it on. From then on, your AI checks before it drafts.
Works with Claude and ChatGPT plans that allow custom connectors. We confirm your plan works during onboarding, or you pay nothing.
Who it’s for
Solo and Small Firms Using AI
- Firms of 1 to 10 attorneys
- That use ChatGPT or Claude for research, drafting or summaries
- With no time to build their own AI rules and checks
- That file in California state or federal courts
What it is not: EsqHarness does not replace your judgment and does not file anything. It makes your AI check its work and reminds you of the rules. You remain responsible for every filing.
Price and guarantees
Reserve a Founding Firm Spot
$149 per month
- Founding price locked for 12 months. Standard price: $249 per month.
- First 25 firms only. First 30 days free, then charged monthly. Cancel before day 30 and you pay nothing; after that, cancelling takes effect at the end of the paid month.
- Onboarding by November 3, 2026, or you pay nothing, and every payment back if you already paid.
- If fewer than 5 firms join within 30 days of launch, you pay nothing and the service is not built.
- Sold by Decentralized Publishing LLC, which operates ALCBar. That name appears at checkout and on your card statement.
Next: a short form for your firm, then your card on our secure page. Nothing is charged today.
Confidentiality of text you check
When you check a draft, its text is sent to our server and the quotations are searched in CourtListener, only to run the check. We do not store the text. We keep only the counts, the citations found and the result, for your monthly record. You decide what to check and may remove client names first.
Built by
Christian Kameir
Author of the eBook Ethics-Safe AI Use for Law Firms (Decentralized Publishing LLC, 2025), developer and operator of a production legal AI platform used in legal practice, and Managing Member of Decentralized Publishing LLC. He is a law graduate of the University of Muenster, Germany, and is not admitted to practice law in any U.S. jurisdiction. More on the faculty page
Questions before you reserve?
Email support@alcbar.com. ALCBar is not a law firm. It provides compliance tools and education, does not give legal advice and creates no attorney-client relationship.
Questions
Before You Reserve
What is a harness?
The instructions, safeguards and checks that control how an AI tool works. EsqHarness turns current state rules, ethics duties, court orders and your firm’s policy into a harness for your AI and keeps it up to date.
Do I need new software?
No. You add one link in the settings of Claude or ChatGPT. Setup takes about 3 minutes.
Does it guarantee I will not be sanctioned?
No. It catches made-up quotations and citations that the case law database can test, and reminds you of your court’s rules. You still read what you cite and remain responsible for every filing.
Is this legal advice?
No. ALCBar is not a law firm. It provides compliance tools and education, does not act as your lawyer, and creates no attorney-client relationship.
Which courts do you cover?
California state courts and the federal courts in California first. After you reserve, you tell us your courts, and your harness is built for them.
Can I cancel?
Yes. Cancel anytime by emailing support@alcbar.com. Cancellation takes effect at the end of the month you have already paid for.
What if onboarding is late, or fewer than 5 firms join?
You pay nothing if onboarding is not delivered by November 3, 2026, or if fewer than 5 firms join within 30 days of launch. Any payment already made is refunded in full.
Who is Decentralized Publishing LLC?
The company that operates ALCBar. Its name appears at checkout and on your card statement. Address: 92 Corporate Park, Ste C #1083, Irvine, CA 92606.
EsqHarness is a service of ALCBar. ALCBar is not a law firm, does not give legal advice and creates no attorney-client relationship.