Over the last 30 years, there’s been some enormous technological change in the practice of law, day-to-day lawyering has gotten more convenient and hectic, and while the profession has deployed technology in many areas, the model hasn’t fundamentally changed.
There’s been enormous hype around the possibilities and perils of generative AI. Routinized, high-volume drudgery is the perfect target for the refined automation of this technology, making it a catalyst for fundamental change to the law firm model.
For example, junior lawyers prepare a first draft of an agreement however this could more easily—and accurately—be prepared based on smart queries made to algorithms that track a curated pool of models in a much more thorough and data-driven manner.
So then what will lawyers be for?
Law firms are quintessential “talent” businesses, dependent on the ability to attract, retain, develop, and promote intelligent and driven people. But law firms need to rethink and rank the skills and traits that will maximize the likelihood of developing successful lawyers who deploy their experience and judgment with their generative AI copilot in the service of clients.
By focusing on process management, strengthening empathy, learning the technology, and preserving creativity, law firms will be better equipped to use generative AI for the benefit of clients and themselves.
Source: Bloomberg Law
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