Why is AI a threat to lawyers?
The statements below are true, but I also think AI helps lawyers more than it hurts them. And we are already using it and have been for a long time. Of course people--lawyers especially--are afraid of things we do not understand. However, that is no reason to ignore change. We need to embrace change, or we will become obsolete; some of us already are. Of course, AI is no panacea, but it cannot be ignored. Ignoring AI is perilous, but relying on it is perilous, too, and maybe even more dangerous than not using it at all.
AI is considered a potential threat to lawyers in several ways:
1. Automation of repetitive tasks: AI can automate various repetitive tasks that lawyers typically handle, such as document review, contract analysis, legal research, and due diligence. This can significantly reduce the time and effort required for these tasks, potentially leading to a decrease in demand for junior lawyers or paralegals. Another upshot is you won't have to read through dense blocks of 8 point font afraid of missing an italicized period.
AI is considered a potential threat to lawyers in several ways:
1. Automation of repetitive tasks: AI can automate various repetitive tasks that lawyers typically handle, such as document review, contract analysis, legal research, and due diligence. This can significantly reduce the time and effort required for these tasks, potentially leading to a decrease in demand for junior lawyers or paralegals. Another upshot is you won't have to read through dense blocks of 8 point font afraid of missing an italicized period.
Likewise, you won't have to focus sooooooo much time on formatting and dealing with lawyers who fixate on this (it is important but not that important). The best example here is in class action litigation, which is heavily reliant upon forms where the questions are standardized as well as their formatting. I recall lawyers complaining about formatting all the time. It matters some, but not for a freaking diagnostic tool. And you shouldn't have to explain your notes to some glorified hall monitor. That's silly. Why not just have the AI format it?
In my opinion, the time would have been better spent focusing on the questions asked to the potential claimant. Some of the questions--the ones I didn't draft actually--were terrible, compound, objectionable questions. If you tried to ask them in a deposition, you'd never get them out without an objection. And the objection would be warranted. You'd also have have a very confused witness. I honestly can't begin to tell you how terrible these forms were. I came to the conclusion that the people drafting them knew nothing--absolutely nothing--about taking or defending depositions. So, if their job is to construct and format these forms, then automation will take their jobs as it should. They need to focus on the questions they ask and (I realize this is a novel concept) LISTENING TO THE CLIENT. The one lawyer I'm thinking about maybe took one deposition in two years. The one he took was an absolute disaster, or so I gathered as I wasn't there.
2. Legal research and analysis: AI-powered tools can quickly analyze vast amounts of legal data, including case law, statutes, and regulations, to provide insights and recommendations. This can help lawyers in their research and analysis work, but it also means that AI systems can potentially perform these tasks more efficiently and accurately than humans, posing a challenge to lawyers' expertise and value. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a second set of eyes reviewing your work?
3. Contract review and drafting: AI can review and analyze contracts, identifying potential risks, inconsistencies, or missing clauses. It can also generate draft contracts based on predefined templates and specific requirements. This threatens the traditional role of lawyers in contract review and drafting, as AI systems can perform these tasks faster and with fewer errors. This would be great for drafting complaints or other pleadings that all essentially say the same thing with the only differences being the names.
4. Cost reduction and access to legal services: AI-powered legal services, such as chatbots or virtual assistants, can provide basic legal advice and guidance to individuals at a lower cost compared to hiring a lawyer. This may make legal services more accessible to a broader population, but it also means that lawyers may face competition from AI systems in providing routine legal advice. I think you can cut out a ton of paralegal time with these as primary screeners. If there's something there, then a human can do it.
5. Ethical and privacy concerns: The use of AI in legal practice raises ethical and privacy concerns. For example, AI algorithms may have biases or lack transparency, potentially leading to unfair outcomes or decisions. Arguably AI is racist as it utilizes data steeped in racial stereotypes. Lawyers need to be aware of these issues and ensure that AI systems are used responsibly and in compliance with legal and ethical standards.
While AI poses certain threats to lawyers, it also presents opportunities for them to enhance their work, improve efficiency, and focus on more complex and strategic aspects of legal practice.
3. Contract review and drafting: AI can review and analyze contracts, identifying potential risks, inconsistencies, or missing clauses. It can also generate draft contracts based on predefined templates and specific requirements. This threatens the traditional role of lawyers in contract review and drafting, as AI systems can perform these tasks faster and with fewer errors. This would be great for drafting complaints or other pleadings that all essentially say the same thing with the only differences being the names.
4. Cost reduction and access to legal services: AI-powered legal services, such as chatbots or virtual assistants, can provide basic legal advice and guidance to individuals at a lower cost compared to hiring a lawyer. This may make legal services more accessible to a broader population, but it also means that lawyers may face competition from AI systems in providing routine legal advice. I think you can cut out a ton of paralegal time with these as primary screeners. If there's something there, then a human can do it.
5. Ethical and privacy concerns: The use of AI in legal practice raises ethical and privacy concerns. For example, AI algorithms may have biases or lack transparency, potentially leading to unfair outcomes or decisions. Arguably AI is racist as it utilizes data steeped in racial stereotypes. Lawyers need to be aware of these issues and ensure that AI systems are used responsibly and in compliance with legal and ethical standards.
While AI poses certain threats to lawyers, it also presents opportunities for them to enhance their work, improve efficiency, and focus on more complex and strategic aspects of legal practice.
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