The Evolving Legal Landscape

By: Suzanne Hartzell

Artificial Intelligence (AI) spends a lot of time in the headlines! Recently, AI has played a prominent role in the Writer’s Guild and SAG-AFTRA strikes, with writers concerned that the entertainment industry is looking to save money by using robot writers rather than real people writers. Despite all the questions, concerns, and negative press, AI has witnessed unprecedented growth across various industries, changing the way tasks are performed and decisions are made.

Look at the law. AI has made a significant impact on the courtroom procedures and the broader legal landscape, ranging from legal research and document analysis to predictive analytics and decision support systems. We know there are advantages, challenges, and ethical considerations associated with AI integration in legal proceedings. At the same time, it can have a positive effect on legal practice, with the potential to streamline processes, enhance decision-making, and reshape the dynamics of the modern legal landscape.

AI-powered tools have significantly transformed the legal research process. Tools such as natural language processing (NLP) algorithms enable rapid analysis of legal documents, judgments, statutes, and scholarly articles. This capability not only expedites research but also enhances the accuracy of information retrieval.

By automating tasks such as document review and contract analysis, AI frees up valuable time for legal professionals to focus on higher-value activities. This efficiency not only benefits law firms but also translates to cost savings for clients.

AI's predictive analytics have become crucial in assessing case outcomes and strategizing legal approaches. Machine learning algorithms analyze data to predict potential rulings and aid lawyers in making informed decisions.

This predictive power offers an advantage in negotiations, allowing lawyers to advise clients more accurately on potential settlements and outcomes. It also aids in optimizing court dockets, reducing backlog, and increasing the efficiency of judicial processes.

AI's ability to process vast amounts of data and identify patterns offers a competitive edge in legal proceedings. It assists in reducing human errors, enhances efficiency, and frees legal professionals from time-consuming tasks, allowing them to focus on complex legal analysis and client interactions.

AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants are breaking down barriers to access legal information. They provide instant responses to legal queries, helping individuals understand their rights and navigate legal procedures, especially in areas like family law, immigration, and tenant rights.

By reducing the reliance on expensive legal counsel for routine matters, AI can potentially increase access to justice, ensuring that legal services are more affordable and accessible to underserved communities.

The integration of AI in the legal landscape is not without challenges. Concerns include biases embedded in AI algorithms, potential job displacement among legal professionals, and the ethical implications of relying solely on automated decision-making processes. It holds both promise and challenges. As AI evolves, legal professionals, policymakers, and scholars must work to harness its potential while safeguarding fundamental principles of justice, fairness, and accountability.

The automation of routine legal tasks can lead to job displacement among legal professionals, particularly in areas like document review and contract drafting. While AI can enhance the efficiency of lawyers' work, it also raises concerns about the future employability of legal practitioners.

However, proponents argue that AI can complement legal professionals, allowing them to focus on more complex and strategic aspects of their work, improving the quality of legal services. Providing quality legal services will always require a human connection. However, AI can deliver a wide range of services that result in a better client experience.

For example, AI-powered virtual assistants can streamline interaction between an attorney and his or her client, making it more efficient to gather information, make appointments and provide reminders and other follow-up communication. Because virtual assistants are always available, they provide clients with 24-7 access to the firm.

AI tools can also bring new efficiencies to lawyers that allow them to free up more time for client interaction. AI can dramatically increase the speed at which legal research can be done, allowing lawyers to streamline the process of preparing for cases.

AI can also assist in drafting legal briefs, reviewing legal documents and analyzing contracts. Some experts believe AI-driven tools can take over nearly 25% of a lawyer’s daily tasks.

The integration of AI in the legal landscape presents opportunities to enhance efficiency, increase access to justice, and improve decision-making, but it also raises concerns about bias, job displacement, and ethical dilemmas.

Billable hours are one of the key metrics that law firms use to gauge their effectiveness, as all the time spent working on tasks related to a client’s case is considered billable hours. The more billable hours a firm has, the more profit they make. When firms leverage AI to accomplish administrative functions and other tasks that do not qualify as billable hours, they free up their lawyers to be more profitable.

AI can also be used to empower business growth without the need for additional staff. The variety of AI-driven tools that assist with marketing, client intake, and client care are examples of this. Rather than adding inexperienced staff to support expansion, firms can use AI-driven tools, doing away with the recruiting, onboarding, salary, and benefits costs associated with growing their staff.

One of the more innovative applications of AI in the legal industry involves using it to predict the outcome of cases. Tools designed to leverage AI to determine the most likely outcome of a case, which have been dubbed “judge bots” by the American Bar Association, can assist attorneys in charting the best course of action. If, for example, AI determines based on all the relevant data that the case would be decided against the client, the attorney can advise that they focus their efforts on settling the case without a trial.

Dawn M. DuRocher, ACP, CAS, the Internship Coordinator and Lead Instructor in the UCR University Extension Paralegal Studies Professional Certificate Program says, “I believe AI will revolutionize the practice of law by providing efficiency improvements by way of automation. In short, AI can be effective in streamlining processes, improving efficiency, and providing valuable data insights. AI can be utilized to produce initial drafts of documents quickly and efficiently, review documents, as well as conduct legal research, saving time and money, but human input will still be required because not everything is always black and white.”

The rapid development of AI-driven tools offers law firms a host of opportunities for bringing new levels of efficiency to their operations. Regardless of the size of the firm or the areas in which it practices, it may be the time to begin leveraging AI to grow faster, serve clients better and boost profitability.

To harness the potential benefits of AI while mitigating its risks, those in the legal field must work collaboratively. This means establishing defined regulations, ensuring transparency in AI systems, and maintaining a strong commitment to ethical and unbiased legal practices.

By doing so, the legal profession can successfully navigate the complex interplay between innovation and apprehension, ensuring that AI serves as a force for justice and fairness in our legal system.