An anonymous Reddit user, “Amazing-Dance9429,” recently attacked Harvey (a generative(AI) product developed by the Counsel AI Corporation for the legal industry described as a provider of customised large language models (LLMs) for law firms and in-house legal teams.legal tech company) and, by extension, the broader AI-driven legal tech sector.
While Harvey is capable of defending itself, the real issue is the poster’s misconceptions about the value and role of large language model-based legal tech.
Key criticisms and responses:
- Founders’ lack of long legal experience: The claim that startups without senior lawyers at the helm are flawed is misguided. Legal expertise can be hired or incorporated through feedback loops. If only equity partners founded companies, the sector would stagnate.
- Reliance on foundation models: Suggesting this is a weakness misunderstands how legal tech works. Modern tools integrate curated data, workflows, security, APIs, UX, client service, and vendor support—far beyond “just prompts.” Most tools utilise multiple models, and few lawyers are willing to build or manage such systems themselves.
- Low adoption claims: The uptake of genAI tools has been faster than that of any prior legal tech innovation. Harvey and peers have achieved rapid penetration into firms and in-house teams, reinvigorating a sector once seen as plateauing.
Other comments were either personal attacks or unsupported statistics.
Overall:
This episode reflects a familiar cycle—after hype comes scepticism. Anonymous critics have always existed, but genuine innovation endures. Despite online negativity, AI-driven legal tech will continue to thrive because it offers real value to lawyers and the industry.
Source: Non-Billable
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