The law firm offers a unique distinction: many of its principles have been the same for 150 years, yet the way we do law is constantly changing.
Legal professionals today are constantly looking for ways to improve processes and improve practices while using tried and tested methods.
In recent years, and especially in the last six months, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has held great promise to change the way legal services are delivered. AI is to interfere industries – from journalism to manufacturing – and we are seeing similar changes in the legal system.
Like G2‘s General Counsel, I am very impressed with the impact this technology is having on the law firm. I started my legal career at a large law firm, working on some of the biggest M&A projects in the country. The contracts we made were hundreds of pages long, and the effort required to make them meant reading thousands of pages. I thought – there has to be a better way! Could AI be the answer?
From legal research to document analysis to contract review, AI software has already begun to appear in the legal industry, and the new possibilities for the future are endless. Let’s take a closer look at how AI is impacting the legal industry and see the benefits that can be gained from the challenges of this revolutionary technology.
Understanding the evolution of AI
The term “artificial intelligence” has been around for years, since All the way back to the computer and information scientist John McCarthy in the 1950s. But AI has come a long way in the past few years through a type of neural network called a “transformer.”
Neural networks are a type of computer programming based on neurons in the human brain.
Like neurons in the human brain, neural networks are made up of nodes and neurons – nodes act as connections to different neurons. Nodes and neurons work together to communicate or understand each other.
In 2017, a new type of neural network architecture called transformer, was introduced, which greatly advanced AI technology. Transformer supported large language models (LLM).
In short, LLMs take a series of words and predict the next word iteratively. You can quickly offer, like, “tell me about the role of AI in the law,” and maybe they learned from all the articles that appear on the Internet and come up with something similar to this blog (although this blog was written by a person). It’s amazing because, for the first time, AI has a human-like character; a form that communicates naturally.
This is powerful in law because the language of law is the written word. Suddenly, AI can speak the language of rules because it can communicate in writing, and it can understand and generate words faster than humans.
The positive effects of AI on the legal industry
In-house legal professionals have access to many tools that incorporate AI, often contract lifecycle management systems.
How AI affects domestic law enforcement
Contract management tools can simplify contracts, providing language that every real estate lawyer knows can save a lot of time. These tools can also aid in error detection by helping lawyers determine how contract wording differs from their form.
How AI affects the legal industry
A number of AI software tools are currently being developed to suit the legal industry. These tools are being used effectively to speed up the work of a senior attorney by creating something similar to the work of a senior partner.
In the legal industry, junior partners give priority to senior lawyers. Now, senior lawyers can rely on AI to their advantage, making business more cost-effective for both the firm’s clients and the firm itself.
AI in criminal cases
AI has been a part of the adoption process for a long time. Companies that provide eDiscovery program solutions, such as Relativity and Everlaw, have been helping lawyers sift through thousands of pages of searchable content quickly and accurately.
The future of AI is regulation
Will we ever get to the point where there is an AI machine lawyer from start to finish?
One example I’ve seen trying this is a company called DoNotPay, an interesting example of a robot lawyer. Users can turn to DoNotPay to dispute their traffic tickets, as the tool handles everything necessary for the dispute using AI. With solutions like DoNotPay, users can now also respond to spam emails.
No matter how good AI tools can be, AI will never replace a lawyer. In fact, the lawyer’s job will become more powerful because lawyers will be using their limited critical thinking skills as they create things that AI creates. As AI continues to advance in the field of law, this is an exciting time to practice law and benefit from all the new developments.
Final verdict
Like many other industries, AI adds significant value to the legal profession. The incorporation of AI into the legal industry has the potential to change the way legal services are delivered. Ultimately, the successful integration of AI into law enforcement will require a balance between realizing its benefits and addressing its challenges.
Wondering what AI systems look like? See This article to learn more about AI ethics and how to be responsive.