Talia Svid—Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the way businesses operate, and the legal industry is no exception. The rapid growth of AI has been nothing short of phenomenal, with its computing power increasing exponentially since 2012. This vast growth raises the question of what our future will look like with AI at the forefront. Already, we have witnessed an extraordinary impact of artificial intelligence on industries worldwide. From healthcare to finance, businesses are exploring ways to leverage AI to drive innovation. In 2022 alone, OpenAI launched ChatGPT, a state-of-the-art AI language model that can generate human-like text, and GitiHub presented Copilot, an AI-powered tool that can assist programmers autocomplete codes. The legal field, however, has not experienced the same level of disruption.
Nevertheless, it is critical to examine how AI could transform the practice of law. Imagine being a lawyer tasked with reviewing a 300-page merger agreement. The sheer volume of information makes the task daunting, and the possibility of missing something important is high. However, AI technology has advanced to the point where specialized software programs can analyze the entire document in just a few minutes, significantly reducing the time and effort needed while also minimizing the risk of human error. This is just one example of how AI’s potential in the legal industry is undeniable. The purpose of this blog post is to explore the ways in which AI is already transforming the practice of law, and what these changes mean for legal professionals in the years to come.
Although the legal field generally favors following tradition, it has begun to modernize. Such modernization is evident in the recent changes that have taken place, such as the shift to virtual courtrooms during the pandemic and the emergence of online legal platforms like LegalZoom. These examples, though noteworthy, only scratch the surface to the numerous transformations expected to take place in the legal industry.
In a recent article for Brookings Institution titled “How AI Will Revolutionize the Practice of Law”, John Villasenor explores the ways in which AI is poised to transform the legal profession. According to Villasenor, AI has the potential to dramatically reduce the time, effort, and expense involved in many legal tasks, freeing up lawyers to focus on more complex and creative work. The article emphasizes the remarkable proficiency of AI in performing complex research and writing tasks that previously demanded highly trained professionals. Additionally, the article discusses some of the tasks that can be performed by AI, such as drafting contracts, responding to interrogatories, creating summaries of ongoing legal matters, generating visual aids for use in trials, and crafting pitches for new clients.
But AI can do more than just automate mundane tasks. Villasenor also notes that AI can be used to analyze large sets of data, such as court cases and legal precedent, to identify patterns and trends. This can help lawyers better predict the outcomes of legal cases. Villasenor notes that perhaps the most interesting application of AI is the use of predictive analytics. By analyzing past legal cases and outcomes, AI algorithms can predict the likelihood of success in future cases. This has the potential to completely transform the way lawyers approach litigation and negotiation, as they will be able to make more informed decisions about which cases to take on and how to approach them.
What does this mean for the future of the legal industry? These changes — while a departure from the norm — will give more people access to the law that is directly applicable to them. As the article highlights, AI has the potential to significantly increase access to legal services, which is prohibitively expensive for many individuals and small businesses. With the use of AI, the legal field will be able to better promote greater access to legal representation which “is critical to ending poverty, combating discrimination, and creating opportunity.” Richard Susskind, the author of Tomorrow’s Lawyers, expresses that these changes will eventually create “a system that can help us avoid having disputes in the first place, whether it be by public access to legal materials, public legal education, online legal services, better advisory services and so forth.”
The emergence of AI technologies is not a temporary trend, but a permanent and inevitable shift in the legal industry. To thrive in this changing landscape, law firms must embrace and effectively leverage these technologies. By doing so, they will be able to offer their services at a lower cost, higher efficiency, and with a greater likelihood of success in litigation. Failure to adopt AI will put law firms at a significant disadvantage, leading to increased costs and decreased competitiveness. Ultimately, this may result in a loss of clients and a reduced ability to attract and retain talented professionals. Thus, it is crucial for law firms to recognize the importance of AI and make the necessary investments to capitalize on its benefits.
Embracing these changes is key to achieving the desired results of AI in the legal industry.
It is important to note that despite advancements in AI technology, attorneys remain a vital component in the legal profession. As Villasenor states: “AI can’t make a convincing presentation to a jury. The technology can’t fully weigh the factors that go into the many strategic decisions, large and small, that get made over the course of any litigation matter. It can’t replace the human element of relationships with clients. And a computer can’t play a leadership role in motivating a team of attorneys to produce their best work.” In conclusion, while it is crucial to acknowledge the significance of the human element in the legal practice, it would be unwise to overlook the transformative impact that AI will have on the legal landscape for both service providers and consumers. Striking a balance between the two will be crucial for the successful integration of AI in the legal field.
