AI at Law Firms

Comments

• Ohnoeshalpme Alum Member ⭐

  July 2018 2531 karma

  Just like what will happen to a lot of industries, the legal market will shrink significantly. What does this mean for the future of the legal profession? I’m not sure.

  Perhaps A bigger question for lawmakers of our generation: what restrictions on AI, if any, are necessary?
• 2 Likes

  AudaciousRed Alum Member

  July 2018 2689 karma

  It may cut out some jobs, but AI is not nearly at a level to replace lawyers. Sure, it may impact making basic contracts like run of the mill rental agreements, and will probably cut down on searching and combing through documents. But there is no way I would leave anything important up to AI alone. That's how you get things like Michael Cohen's issues on the Stormy Daniel's case. He didn't review the contract thoroughly to catch the language that required signatures from the parties involved (namely, Donald Trump himself). Had he just spent an hour or two to check, or farmed it out to an associate to double check it, maybe he wouldn't be where he is now. So, I think there are some natural restrictions built into AI as it stands now. It's far from perfect, and at very best, will still need human supervision.
• 1 Like

  AudaciousRed Alum Member

  July 2018 2689 karma

  Think about it this way: how many newspaper articles have you read where there are typos or grammatical errors, despite us now having instantaneous, AI driven auto-correct? I see one every day, without fail. This is what happens when you let AI do the work and do not have people checking it. Now, consider that at least one case came down to the use of a Oxford comma (https://www.cnn.com/2017/03/15/health/oxford-comma-maine-court-case-trnd/index.html). That case was worth millions.
• Ohnoeshalpme Alum Member ⭐

  July 2018 2531 karma

  @AudaciousRed said:
  It may cut out some jobs, but AI is not nearly at a level to replace lawyers. Sure, it may impact making basic contracts like run of the mill rental agreements, and will probably cut down on searching and combing through documents. But there is no way I would leave anything important up to AI alone. That's how you get things like Michael Cohen's issues on the Stormy Daniel's case. He didn't review the contract thoroughly to catch the language that required signatures from the parties involved (namely, Donald Trump himself). Had he just spent an hour or two to check, or farmed it out to an associate to double check it, maybe he wouldn't be where he is now. So, I think there are some natural restrictions built into AI as it stands now. It's far from perfect, and at very best, will still need human supervision.

  Your argument depends on the assumption that AI won't improve rapidly. I see no reason to believe this assumption. The idea that a lower-tier lawyer or associate will be able to compete in a legal market where AI are more accurate, more concise and faster is absurd. Just as the computer eliminated hundreds of jobs in accounting, the same "grunt work" that is being done by the vast majority of lawyers will be accomplished by (probably) some free search engine offered online.
• Ohnoeshalpme Alum Member ⭐

  July 2018 edited July 2018 2531 karma

  Maybe it's a dismal outlook, but it seems to be the most likely one. Also, the growing trust in computers will lead many to prefer arguments constructed "objectively" by AI as opposed to those made by human beings... just a thought.
• JustDoIt Alum Member ⭐

  July 2018 3112 karma

  It definitely has to potential to influence firms for the better. Lawyers won’t be doing so much doc review and billing clients up for work that AI can do. Leaner operations often lead to more productive and substantive business.
• vrendonvasquez Alum Member

  July 2018 276 karma

  @JustDoIt said:
  It definitely has to potential to influence firms for the better. Lawyers won’t be doing so much doc review and billing clients up for work that AI can do. Leaner operations often lead to more productive and substantive business.

  Agreed. I think AI can result in a more productive legal industry. Plus junior attorneys/associates may end up receiving more exposure to the substantive aspects of law rather than the "grunt" work they're usually stuck with, especially at Big Law.