The implementation of artificial intelligence in the legal field has reduced costs for law firms and has improved the speed and accuracy of results, while reducing the need for personnel (Handa and Papineau-Wolff, 201. What are you looking for? Send Over the past few decades, the rapid development of technologies has influenced the way in which companies and individuals traditionally did their work. In the same way, the technological boom has significantly transformed the way the legal profession operates globally. So how does technology affect the legal profession? One of the common uses of technology in the legal profession is to increase work flexibility and reduce labor-intensive work. For example, an estimated 23% of a lawyer's time can now be automated, saving 2 hours of a 10-hour workday so that the lawyer can focus on more pressing issues.
This is also why most law firms now use technology and software to streamline large collections of information (which traditionally lawyers review manually) while performing due diligence tasks for clients, and to identify key points relevant to building your case. Not only do they benefit from the enormous storage capacity of these cloud-based platforms, but they also ensure smooth collaboration between colleagues, offices and clients located in different countries around the world. People no longer need to be in the same office in person to access key documents and collaborate as a team. These “new roles” mentioned are only a fraction of the opportunities that new technology provided to the legal profession.
It's also clear that having an adaptive and innovative mindset will be crucial for law firms and members of the legal profession to thrive in the future. According to a recent report from Oxford University, AI-assisted legal technology has also improved the functioning of the legal profession. AI is not only used in the creation and review of contracts, but it has also become a crucial tool that provides highly valuable information that increases productivity and profitability for the entire company. One of the most important impacts of technology on the legal profession has been the revolution in legal research.
Gone are the days when volumes of physical case law were being examined. Today, digital databases and search engines allow lawyers to access a wide range of legal resources in a matter of seconds. Tools such as LexisNexis and Westlaw have become basic elements of legal research, providing up-to-date information that improves the quality and efficiency of legal practice. However, this convenience comes with the responsibility of maintaining the dominance of these platforms, since mastering them can greatly improve the thoroughness and speed of research.
The advent of case management software has simplified many administrative tasks associated with legal practice. These systems allow efficient tracking of case files, deadlines, and billing, reducing manual errors and freeing up time for substantive legal work. Adopting these technologies can significantly improve the operational efficiency of a law firm. However, the impact of technology on the legal profession in this area underscores the importance of continuous learning and adaptation to new systems and workflows.
Technology has paved the way for virtual legal practices and online dispute resolution platforms, expanding access to legal services and justice. These innovations offer alternatives to traditional face-to-face legal consultations and court appearances, making legal services more accessible to a wider population. However, they also require attorneys to adapt to new modes of practice and understand the nuances of conducting legal proceedings online. In one way or another, technology has affected or even altered virtually every aspect of the practice of law.
Especially during the pandemic, lawyers can practice anywhere in the world with an available Internet or Wi-Fi connection. Email and text messaging have largely replaced letter writing and phone calls, and computer research using laptops or smartphones has primarily replaced research in law libraries and textbooks. Courtrooms have switched to video projectors and monitors instead of white boards, and courts are using electronic displays. Even fitness watches and smartphone apps can provide information for injury claims. Some of the main areas in which competence is almost necessary include the protection of customer information, electronic discovery, and communication and file sharing technologies.
The resulting changes over the past 20 years require that lawyers have that competence in technology not only to defend their clients, but also to operate their law firms effectively and efficiently. Law firms use technology in many areas, including document management, maintaining and sharing client information in a central (virtual) location, data security, and process automation. The future role of technology in the legal profession can be glimpsed in the efforts of state judicial leaders working to solve problems of access to justice in their courts. In Utah, for example, the Office of Legal Services Innovation of the Utah Supreme Court is trying to push forward the development of innovative legal service offerings that promise to make legal services more affordable and available to people who: they need them.
In most cases, there is a strong technological angle. The ACC Value Champions program has recognized innovations in data analysis, process management, value-based pricing, knowledge management systems and legal services metrics. The NCSC's annual Judicial Technology Conference is a great way to see how the judicial system will work in the very near future. Here, a person works at the interface between law and technology, with the objective of increasing the efficiency and profitability of legal processes within the profession.
State bar groups, such as the Computer and Technology Section of the Texas State Bar Association and the Technology and Legal Profession Committee of the New York State Bar Association, are open to any member of those bar associations. The impact of technology on the legal profession has been profound and multifaceted, and it has changed the way law is practiced and administered around the world. Lawyers and law firms cannot hide their heads in the sand and avoid the changes that technology brings. Contributing to the work of state bar associations is a great opportunity not only to learn about the current situation of legal technology and how technology affects traditional legal processes, but it is also a unique opportunity to shape the future direction of the law. As Stephen Allen, Director of Global and Digital Innovation at Hogan Lovells, states, legal engineers are similar to solution architects who advise, develop and create solutions that are essential to keeping companies at the forefront.
In fact, when it comes to technology, meeting a state bar association's minimum CLE requirement is probably just the beginning, not the end, of an attorney's professional obligation to be technologically competent. While Nevada has not done so, at least 40 states have adopted this duty of knowledge and technological competence. For example, there has been an increase in the number of law firms that have an Alternative Legal Service Provider (ASLP) division in their operations.