Norma Harris, LegalTech contributing writer
AI is transforming the way lawyers operate and those embracing the legaltech developments are outperforming competitors who cling to traditional methods.
Generative AI is being used increasingly by law firms to streamline tasks such as case screening, demand letter drafting, discovery and document creation, as well as helping with case research and litigation and legal defense strategy.
AI’s Impact on Legal Practice
AI’s transformative impact upon the way lawyers do their job is hardly understated. New AI tools and the continued development of generative AI mean that law firm work styles and tools are moving more rapidly than ever.
The adoption of AI is enabling lawyers to handle more cases, resolve them faster, and achieve better outcomes.
James Lee, founder of LTL Attorneys, a spinoff from Quinn Emanuel, describes it in an article in Corporate Counsel as an “arms race” where both sides must adapt to remain competitive.
Lee draws parallels between AI’s impact and previous technological advancements in the legal field.
The Xerox machine increased document volume, boosting billable hours. Email and e-discovery expanded the data for review. Now, AI is amplifying these trends even further.
Looking ahead, Lee predicts that elite firms and those embracing commodity work will thrive, while mid-tier firms may struggle to stay afloat let alone compete in an increasingly AI-driven legal market.
AI Tools in Action
LegalMation, spun off from LTL Attorneys, automates early lawsuit phases by creating legal documents efficiently. It’s particularly valuable for high-volume litigation, with major clients including Walmart, auto companies, and insurers.
EvenUp, an AI platform for personal injury attorneys, assists in settling cases faster and for larger amounts. It provides medical summaries, estimates losses, and crafts compelling settlement proposals.
Bob Simon, a personal injury attorney, reports significant improvements in his practice according to Law.com, with demand letter preparation time slashed from 20 hours to minutes, enhanced case screening and red flag identification and improved client interaction.
- Aaref Hilaly of Bain Capital Ventures predicts that AI will become a standard part of legal workflow within two years. Lawyers who don’t embrace AI risk being left behind in an increasingly competitive field.
As Bob Simon said: “If you were leveraging artificial intelligence, you could spend more time in your client’s living room than the mail room.”
This shift allows attorneys to focus on high-value tasks like building client relationships and crafting persuasive case narratives.
Embracing legal AI also helps law firms with recruitment and building their own firms.
According to a LexisNexis study, the number of legal professionals using generative AI more than doubled between July 2023 and January 2024, jumping from 11 per cent to 26 per cent, a Times report indicated.
Enthusiasm for legal AI is driven by the fact that AI allows lawyers to shift their focus to strategic, high-value work, boosting their productivity while improving the client experience. All of that means great work satisfaction for the lawyers and better client outcomes for those they’re working for.
AI tools are also reshaping the way law firms handle their finances, among the multitude of other enhancements.
The legal profession stands at a technological crossroads. Those who harness AI’s power will likely find themselves at a significant advantage, able to provide more efficient, effective, and client-focused services in an ever-evolving legal landscape.
