Last time, we let AI write about its relationship with the law. This time, I can assure you that an actual human is writing this. The incredible advancement of artificial intelligence made in the past year alone is thrilling yet intimidating, and it's going to change the way we work forever.
For many lawyers, it's proving to be a headache as it unearths all sorts of ethical, moral, and legal issues. It's going to take a while for our laws to catch up with technology. Despite these growing pains, it comes with a host of advantages. To keep your firm competitive, it would be wise to learn how to make AI work for you.
If the thought of doing so excites you, then be sure to register for PBI's upcoming course, "Integrating Artificial Intelligence into Your Practice" for an even deeper dive on the subject. Professor Samuel D. Hodge, Jr. is back again with another unique CLE to teach you all about the advantages and drawbacks to AI in law practice. This is one you don't want to miss!
Streamline research. Did you know a simple Google search involves the use of AI? How about punching in the address of the restaurant you're meeting a client at into your Directions app? You've been benefitting from AI for longer than you realize. It should be no surprise there's a long list of legal research tools that exist to make your life as a lawyer easier!
Legal research can often take up hours of your time, but AI has the power to quickly scan databases for exactly what you need. Check out the best free legal research tools hand-picked by Clio. Incorporating one into your practice will lead to a more efficient research process, saving you time that can be funneled into other endeavors such as putting more focus on your client's needs.
(By the way--did you know PBA members save on Clio? Click here for more info!)
Document storage. More and more firms are going paperless and storing important documents on computers. However, document management can be a major time-devourer. AI tools can assist in storage, organization, and retrieval through the use of tags and labels. By utilizing key words when searching, this can make finding what you need a breeze. It will make sharing documents and acquiring e-signatures easier as well.
If your firm could use document-organizing software, here's a list of the top-rated software by Capterra.
Task automation. Improve the efficiency of your firm by figuring out which tasks can be delegated to AI. It can be used to create templates for documents, automatically fill out forms, or analyze litigation. AI is here to make your life easier by eliminating repetitive, time-consuming work. If you have a specific tedious task in mind, look to see if there's an AI-powered solution for it.
You can even create AI-powered chatbots for your website! Clients can ask questions and receive instant responses. Read more about it here!
Due diligence. Another area AI excels in is quickly scanning documents and catching errors. It can reduce the chance of human error. As we mentioned before, it should not be relied upon as the sole proofreader, but it can be of great assistance. Due diligence software has the capabilities to spot inconsistencies and track compliance, an incredibly useful tool for any lawyer.
When using artificial intelligence, it's best to use it in a way where it carries the brunt of the work, but still has a human touch. A good rule of thumb is to do 10% of the planning and prompting, let AI take care of 80% of the heavy lifting, then spend the last 10% checking over the work and finalizing it. Imagine what you can do with the time saved by AI!
Another point to consider is that this technology is constantly evolving. It is also flawed, much like the humans who created it. Be sure to use AI responsibly and ethically. Do your research before implementing a certain tool into your practice. Once you've done so, only then can you make AI work for you!
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