Alex Allen-Franks
@alexallenfranks.bsky.social
Senior Lecturer at Auckland Law School. PhD University of Cambridge.
Intellectual Property; Law of Evidence; Human Rights stuff 👩🏻🏫
Intellectual Property; Law of Evidence; Human Rights stuff 👩🏻🏫
Pinned
Graduated with my PhD a year ago. And 5 years before that, my LLM. Now I’m about to wake my twins up.
Two babies crawling is a whole new level of difficulty
November 21, 2025 at 6:08 AM
Two babies crawling is a whole new level of difficulty
Reposted by Alex Allen-Franks
From Auckland University - Comment: Judges around the world have pulled lawyers up for submitting AI-generated material to the court that’s wrong. To those lawyers who do want to use it – here’s a warning.
Lawyers, think hard before you use AI
newsroom.co.nz
November 7, 2025 at 6:52 AM
From Auckland University - Comment: Judges around the world have pulled lawyers up for submitting AI-generated material to the court that’s wrong. To those lawyers who do want to use it – here’s a warning.
Reposted by Alex Allen-Franks
The second edition of LensenMcGavin AI's The Reading List is out now.
Some really fantastic reads, including New Zealand's own (via Australia) Joshua Yuvaraj.
See below:
open.substack.com/pub/lensenmc...
Some really fantastic reads, including New Zealand's own (via Australia) Joshua Yuvaraj.
See below:
open.substack.com/pub/lensenmc...
The Reading List
10 high-impact reads and watches. Some old, some new. Delivered with no fluff or frills, and in no particular order.
open.substack.com
October 30, 2025 at 11:17 PM
The second edition of LensenMcGavin AI's The Reading List is out now.
Some really fantastic reads, including New Zealand's own (via Australia) Joshua Yuvaraj.
See below:
open.substack.com/pub/lensenmc...
Some really fantastic reads, including New Zealand's own (via Australia) Joshua Yuvaraj.
See below:
open.substack.com/pub/lensenmc...
My babies have started laughing with each other. It is precious
October 14, 2025 at 6:57 AM
My babies have started laughing with each other. It is precious
There’s so much lost by not reading the source material, whether you’re reading someone else’s summary (eg a case head note) or a summary created without human input
Even more annoying is that the original poster is using the LLM to “wade through a mountain of papers for a systemic review”. Which means feeding a lot of academic material into the plagiarism machine that always lies, without the consent of the authors.
Seeing people nonchalantly post stuff like makes me feel like I'm going crazy honestly.
October 13, 2025 at 11:36 PM
There’s so much lost by not reading the source material, whether you’re reading someone else’s summary (eg a case head note) or a summary created without human input
Reposted by Alex Allen-Franks
Even more annoying is that the original poster is using the LLM to “wade through a mountain of papers for a systemic review”. Which means feeding a lot of academic material into the plagiarism machine that always lies, without the consent of the authors.
Seeing people nonchalantly post stuff like makes me feel like I'm going crazy honestly.
October 13, 2025 at 9:18 PM
Even more annoying is that the original poster is using the LLM to “wade through a mountain of papers for a systemic review”. Which means feeding a lot of academic material into the plagiarism machine that always lies, without the consent of the authors.
nap time and one baby wakes so you pick that baby up to rock back to sleep, but then the other baby wakes up. So you try to get first baby back into cot without waking to deal with second baby and end up with two awake babies who should really be asleep for another hour
a man in a striped shirt is laying on his back on the floor holding a piece of paper
ALT: a man in a striped shirt is laying on his back on the floor holding a piece of paper
media.tenor.com
October 1, 2025 at 9:24 PM
nap time and one baby wakes so you pick that baby up to rock back to sleep, but then the other baby wakes up. So you try to get first baby back into cot without waking to deal with second baby and end up with two awake babies who should really be asleep for another hour
They are 6 months old today and I am still trying to finish this 🫠
It’s really something trying to finish a revise and resubmit with infant twins. I do like 5 mins a day, every couple of days. At this rate I’ll be finished by the time they start school 🙃
September 29, 2025 at 9:01 PM
They are 6 months old today and I am still trying to finish this 🫠
It really bothers me how the skill of summarising is devalued. It is a hard thing to do well and it is important to learning. Ughhhhhhhhhhhh
Oxford University Press is introducing an AI summarisation & quizzing asst. into their law textbook ‘trove’: it took considerable effort from our Fac+Library to have them engineer in a license-level off switch (they initially refused!). They did not clock how important the skill of summarisation is.
I enjoyed it when the student said it doesn't damage her critical thinking skills, and then 2 paragraphs later says she uses it to summarise difficult topics.
Students don't know how much this is going to ruin the key skills they're paying a premium at University to develop.
Students don't know how much this is going to ruin the key skills they're paying a premium at University to develop.
September 14, 2025 at 9:17 PM
It really bothers me how the skill of summarising is devalued. It is a hard thing to do well and it is important to learning. Ughhhhhhhhhhhh
Reposted by Alex Allen-Franks
It’s World #Sepsis Day
Sepsis kills 11 million people each year.
Symptoms incl.:
🔸Fever or shivering
🔸Confusion
🔸Shortness of breath
🔸Rash that does not fade when pressed
🔸Extreme discomfort
🔸Sweaty skin
Seek medical care as soon as possible when an infection is not getting better.
Sepsis kills 11 million people each year.
Symptoms incl.:
🔸Fever or shivering
🔸Confusion
🔸Shortness of breath
🔸Rash that does not fade when pressed
🔸Extreme discomfort
🔸Sweaty skin
Seek medical care as soon as possible when an infection is not getting better.
September 13, 2025 at 9:02 AM
It’s World #Sepsis Day
Sepsis kills 11 million people each year.
Symptoms incl.:
🔸Fever or shivering
🔸Confusion
🔸Shortness of breath
🔸Rash that does not fade when pressed
🔸Extreme discomfort
🔸Sweaty skin
Seek medical care as soon as possible when an infection is not getting better.
Sepsis kills 11 million people each year.
Symptoms incl.:
🔸Fever or shivering
🔸Confusion
🔸Shortness of breath
🔸Rash that does not fade when pressed
🔸Extreme discomfort
🔸Sweaty skin
Seek medical care as soon as possible when an infection is not getting better.
This is despicable. I spent 3 weeks in Auckland City Hospital & the state of the facilities was appalling. My broken window was propped up by a [clean] piss pot in a room that had no other ventilation and was 26°. In another room the bathroom door didn’t shut and screws were hanging from the lock.
Health authorities recommend doing 'absolute minimum' to fix Auckland City Hospital
Health authorities recommend doing 'absolute minimum' to fix Auckland City Hospital
Documents show the decision could lead to critical assets failing, resulting in patient harm.
www.rnz.co.nz
September 4, 2025 at 10:59 PM
This is despicable. I spent 3 weeks in Auckland City Hospital & the state of the facilities was appalling. My broken window was propped up by a [clean] piss pot in a room that had no other ventilation and was 26°. In another room the bathroom door didn’t shut and screws were hanging from the lock.
It’s really something trying to finish a revise and resubmit with infant twins. I do like 5 mins a day, every couple of days. At this rate I’ll be finished by the time they start school 🙃
September 4, 2025 at 1:04 AM
It’s really something trying to finish a revise and resubmit with infant twins. I do like 5 mins a day, every couple of days. At this rate I’ll be finished by the time they start school 🙃
Reposted by Alex Allen-Franks
You see, the great thing about law is that it comes down to what the law says, regardless of how “distinguished” or “leading” or “expert” a lawyer may be.
It is a curiously egalitarian subject, where a cat can speak to a king, or at least to the king’s counsel.
It is a curiously egalitarian subject, where a cat can speak to a king, or at least to the king’s counsel.
August 31, 2025 at 10:03 PM
You see, the great thing about law is that it comes down to what the law says, regardless of how “distinguished” or “leading” or “expert” a lawyer may be.
It is a curiously egalitarian subject, where a cat can speak to a king, or at least to the king’s counsel.
It is a curiously egalitarian subject, where a cat can speak to a king, or at least to the king’s counsel.
Reposted by Alex Allen-Franks
Apparently “leading” lawyers and “experts” say that the Good Friday Agreement is no obstacle to UK leaving ECHR.
Me, being neither, merely sets out what the Good Friday Agreement expressly says.
davidallengreen.com/2023/07/why-...
Me, being neither, merely sets out what the Good Friday Agreement expressly says.
davidallengreen.com/2023/07/why-...
Why the United Kingdom government cannot leave the ECHR without either breaching or re-negotiating the Good Friday Agreement
1st July 2023 * The overlooked obstacle to the United Kingdom withdrawing from the ECHR * From time to time the demand comes from a government minister, or from one of their political and media sup…
davidallengreen.com
August 31, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Apparently “leading” lawyers and “experts” say that the Good Friday Agreement is no obstacle to UK leaving ECHR.
Me, being neither, merely sets out what the Good Friday Agreement expressly says.
davidallengreen.com/2023/07/why-...
Me, being neither, merely sets out what the Good Friday Agreement expressly says.
davidallengreen.com/2023/07/why-...
Reposted by Alex Allen-Franks
www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
Ongoing impact of Tamiefuna v R:
"In the Quarter 3 plan the government has signalled its clear intent to change the law, so that police have the lawful ability to collect, use and retain information about individuals in public places for lawful policing purposes"
Ongoing impact of Tamiefuna v R:
"In the Quarter 3 plan the government has signalled its clear intent to change the law, so that police have the lawful ability to collect, use and retain information about individuals in public places for lawful policing purposes"
Government promises to give police more information-collecting powers, details scant
But details on the upcoming law change are still scant.
www.rnz.co.nz
August 26, 2025 at 10:28 PM
www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
Ongoing impact of Tamiefuna v R:
"In the Quarter 3 plan the government has signalled its clear intent to change the law, so that police have the lawful ability to collect, use and retain information about individuals in public places for lawful policing purposes"
Ongoing impact of Tamiefuna v R:
"In the Quarter 3 plan the government has signalled its clear intent to change the law, so that police have the lawful ability to collect, use and retain information about individuals in public places for lawful policing purposes"
www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
Ongoing impact of Tamiefuna v R:
"In the Quarter 3 plan the government has signalled its clear intent to change the law, so that police have the lawful ability to collect, use and retain information about individuals in public places for lawful policing purposes"
Ongoing impact of Tamiefuna v R:
"In the Quarter 3 plan the government has signalled its clear intent to change the law, so that police have the lawful ability to collect, use and retain information about individuals in public places for lawful policing purposes"
Government promises to give police more information-collecting powers, details scant
But details on the upcoming law change are still scant.
www.rnz.co.nz
August 26, 2025 at 10:28 PM
www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
Ongoing impact of Tamiefuna v R:
"In the Quarter 3 plan the government has signalled its clear intent to change the law, so that police have the lawful ability to collect, use and retain information about individuals in public places for lawful policing purposes"
Ongoing impact of Tamiefuna v R:
"In the Quarter 3 plan the government has signalled its clear intent to change the law, so that police have the lawful ability to collect, use and retain information about individuals in public places for lawful policing purposes"
Reposted by Alex Allen-Franks
From this, we realized we could generate large portions of some books with certain models, like a near-pristine copy of Harry Potter using Llama 3.1 70B.
This work is ongoing; preprint: arxiv.org/abs/2505.12546
More to come (hopefully soon)!
This work is ongoing; preprint: arxiv.org/abs/2505.12546
More to come (hopefully soon)!
LinkedIn
This link will take you to a page that’s not on LinkedIn
lnkd.in
August 21, 2025 at 8:18 PM
From this, we realized we could generate large portions of some books with certain models, like a near-pristine copy of Harry Potter using Llama 3.1 70B.
This work is ongoing; preprint: arxiv.org/abs/2505.12546
More to come (hopefully soon)!
This work is ongoing; preprint: arxiv.org/abs/2505.12546
More to come (hopefully soon)!
Reposted by Alex Allen-Franks
I’m excited to share that my paper with @jtlg.bsky.social , "The Files are in the Computer: On Copyright, Memorization, and Generative AI" (April 2024), is out in the AI Disrupting Law symposium issue of the Chicago-Kent Law Review!
The full issue is here: scholarship.kentlaw.iit.edu/cklawreview/
The full issue is here: scholarship.kentlaw.iit.edu/cklawreview/
Chicago-Kent Law Review | Chicago-Kent College of Law
scholarship.kentlaw.iit.edu
August 21, 2025 at 8:18 PM
I’m excited to share that my paper with @jtlg.bsky.social , "The Files are in the Computer: On Copyright, Memorization, and Generative AI" (April 2024), is out in the AI Disrupting Law symposium issue of the Chicago-Kent Law Review!
The full issue is here: scholarship.kentlaw.iit.edu/cklawreview/
The full issue is here: scholarship.kentlaw.iit.edu/cklawreview/
Reposted by Alex Allen-Franks
This should be a major disciplinary matter EVERY SINGLE TIME. No excuses. You are misleading the court.
As far as I am concerned there are NO legitimate use cases for genAI is law.
As far as I am concerned there are NO legitimate use cases for genAI is law.
August 16, 2025 at 3:13 AM
This should be a major disciplinary matter EVERY SINGLE TIME. No excuses. You are misleading the court.
As far as I am concerned there are NO legitimate use cases for genAI is law.
As far as I am concerned there are NO legitimate use cases for genAI is law.
Reposted by Alex Allen-Franks
Transformative work of the day, footlong edition
Quiznos? Cosi? Subway? Jimmy John's? Jersey Mike's? Any sub shop I visit from this day forward will be judged not only on the taste & value of its sandwiches, but their weight, velocity, & stability of their wrapping.
August 15, 2025 at 5:11 PM
Transformative work of the day, footlong edition
This article is irresponsible reporting. As Eddie states below, when relevant evidence is not put before a jury because a judge has ordered that it shouldn’t be, there are good reasons for it. We are all to be presumed innocent until proven guilty, and we all have the right to a fair trial.
This is absolutely *deranged* reporting.
"Witnesses did not tell the whole truth!!!"
...due to standard, established evidence admissibility rules designed to ensure a fair trial.
www.stuff.co.nz/world-news/3...
"Witnesses did not tell the whole truth!!!"
...due to standard, established evidence admissibility rules designed to ensure a fair trial.
www.stuff.co.nz/world-news/3...
Stuff
www.stuff.co.nz
August 11, 2025 at 5:06 AM
This article is irresponsible reporting. As Eddie states below, when relevant evidence is not put before a jury because a judge has ordered that it shouldn’t be, there are good reasons for it. We are all to be presumed innocent until proven guilty, and we all have the right to a fair trial.
Graduated with my PhD a year ago. And 5 years before that, my LLM. Now I’m about to wake my twins up.
July 17, 2025 at 8:17 PM
Graduated with my PhD a year ago. And 5 years before that, my LLM. Now I’m about to wake my twins up.
Reposted by Alex Allen-Franks
People always ask me : “Cristi, how do you manage parenting a baby while going up for tenure?”
It’s easy. The secret is *flow-based-scheduling*. Here are its three core strategies for new academic parents:
Sleep when the baby sleeps
Cry when the baby cries
Publish when the baby publishes
It’s easy. The secret is *flow-based-scheduling*. Here are its three core strategies for new academic parents:
Sleep when the baby sleeps
Cry when the baby cries
Publish when the baby publishes
July 4, 2025 at 5:04 PM
People always ask me : “Cristi, how do you manage parenting a baby while going up for tenure?”
It’s easy. The secret is *flow-based-scheduling*. Here are its three core strategies for new academic parents:
Sleep when the baby sleeps
Cry when the baby cries
Publish when the baby publishes
It’s easy. The secret is *flow-based-scheduling*. Here are its three core strategies for new academic parents:
Sleep when the baby sleeps
Cry when the baby cries
Publish when the baby publishes