Artificial Intelligence (AI) has made its way into the legal profession, bringing both potential and problems. AI can perform jobs that lawyers used to do, such as case data processing in the past, legal research, and case outcome prediction. Every year, the abilities of legal technology improve.

As technology advances, the legal profession, like many others, is concerned that AI and automation could eventually replace human intelligence, rendering the work useless.

No, to put it briefly. Any time soon, artificial intelligence will not be able to take the place of legal professionals. So, how does AI impact law firms and legal teams in the future?

AI In Legal Services

Here are some ways AI will affect the legal profession and why you shouldn't be concerned.

Time Saving For Legal Tasks

Artificial intelligence and automation have the potential to take over up to 23% of a lawyer's everyday tasks. Many of these activities are routine, paperwork-based duties that divert legal professionals' attention from strategic demands. Many law firms are already employing AI to help with the following tasks:

  • Review of documents for due diligence or litigation
  • Contract evaluation and qualifying based on a set of criteria
  • Case result prediction based on AI legal services 

While AI can help with document selection in a case, it is still far from advising clients, negotiating, or even writing legal pleadings – thus, lawyers will not be relieved of their core tasks. The technology, on the other hand, can be used to make court appearances more effective.

Deeper Legal Knowledge

As the legal profession evolves, experience is more valued than routine legal labor. Because of the possibilities of automation, many corporate clients are no longer willing to pay for legal documentation. This allows law firms to charge more for their experience, advice, and analysis while freeing up their staff from routine work.

In general, the following are some of the changes that the legal sector may face in the coming decade:

  • Lawyers will become scarcer, but they will be informed about strategic approaches.
  • Junior associates will no longer be responsible for time-consuming research or documentation.
  • As AI augments lawyers' knowledge, certain practice areas will become less critical.

The impact on the sector has already been felt, with law offices and huge enterprises alike relying on legal technology. The resulting efficiency benefits have added to the appeal and will continue to rise as legal technology advances.

Embracing Legal Professionals With Technology

Legal professionals that adopt legal technology can significantly increase the value of their practice or firm. The American Bar Association's Model Rules of Professional Conduct require lawyers to stay current on legal technology. Beyond increased efficiency, legal technology provides additional security safeguards, and neglecting to utilize it effectively can result in malpractice or other significant consequences. In the future, the legal technology business anticipates more strict laws and requirements, including staff training methods.

Conclusion

AI will not replace legal professionals anytime soon, but it may be a valuable tool for increasing team productivity. However, before exploring AI for your company, focus on improving legal processes, allocating resources, and equipping your workers with more efficient tools. Then, to support your operations, even more, you can use AI and automation.

Finally, legal technology should support optimal decision-making based on real-time data, accuracy, and speed – which AI can help with when done correctly.

We already know that AI and automation will cause significant changes in the legal business. Rather than succumbing to the changes, law firms and legal teams must plan for the legal profession's future by refining current legal processes and utilizing technology to achieve their objectives.