diff --git a/client/lib/aiSummarization.ts b/client/lib/aiSummarization.ts
index ec10fc3..5e449d1 100644
--- a/client/lib/aiSummarization.ts
+++ b/client/lib/aiSummarization.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,12 @@ export interface CaseSummary {
   suggestedNextSteps: string[];
 }
 
+async function callGroqAPI(prompt: string): Promise<string> {
+  const apiKey = process.env.GROQ_API_KEY;
+  if (!apiKey) {
+    throw new Error("GROQ_API_KEY environment variable is not set");
+  }
+
 const GROQ_API_KEY = process.env.GROQ_API_KEY;
 
 /**
@@ -22,7 +28,7 @@ async function callGroqAPI(prompt: string): Promise<string> {
       method: "POST",
       headers: {
         "Content-Type": "application/json",
-        Authorization: `Bearer ${GROQ_API_KEY}`,
+        Authorization: `Bearer ${apiKey}`,
       },
       body: JSON.stringify({
         model: "llama-3.1-8b-instant",