The Good, The Bad, and The( Moderately) Shady
Let’ s start with how AI can help the practice of law evolve and grow. The growth of new media and the internet gave lawyers and their firms new advertising avenues beginning several decades ago. Lawyers are able to get popular podcast hosts to read ads on their shows; They can advertise on YouTube channels; and they can even use social media to provide targeted ads to certain people in specific areas of the country that may need representation. Those were remarkable advances, and they had already changed the legal landscape before AI was around. That’ s one area where AI can prove to be even more useful. Using AI, law firms will be able to narrow down their targets when pushing out ads through social media outlets and websites— rather than having to case a wide net, they can now zero in on exactly the people that they know are looking for representation, or who could be in the near future. Using the technology in this way will reduce overall ad spending while maximizing the ad spending that needs to happen to attract clients. That’ s a win-win situation for law firms.
Also on the business side, AI technology has the potential to completely change the way that clients are able to get in touch. Many law firm websites have already integrated chatbots for clients to converse with, and AI can take that to the next level. Client-facing tools, like AI-powered chatbots or virtual legal assistants, can enhance the client experience. These tools can handle routine inquiries, schedule appointments, and even perform basic legal triage, allowing law firms to provide more responsive and accessible service. For solo practitioners and small firms, in particular, these tools can level the playing field by automating administrative tasks and freeing up time for higher-value work.
AI can also provide a fast, cost-effective method of reviewing budgets and assessing any redundancies in a law firm’ s spending. While the human touch and brain will always be necessary in these fields, properly utilized AI tools can help manage budgets and employees— specifically in addressing any staffing shortfalls or overages. While we need to be wary of taking Elon Musk’ s DOGE approach to slashing staff using AI, there is potential for eliminating positions that aren’ t necessary if the tools are used properly.
The actual practice of law, too, is changing with the help of AI, but this is also where lawyers can quickly get themselves into trouble.
One of the most immediate benefits is in legal research. AI can analyze massive databases of case law, statutes, and regulations in seconds— faster than a human being could ever imagine. These tools can not only speed up the process, but also reduce the likelihood of missing key precedents, which can improve the quality of legal analysis.
Another major area of impact is document review and management. In litigation, due diligence, or contract analysis, AI can rapidly sift through thousands— or even millions— of documents to identify relevant content, flag risks, and extract critical information. This not only reduces the time and cost associated with manual review but also minimizes human error. Tools that use natural language processing can even summarize and compare contracts or highlight unusual clauses, which can be especially valuable in transactional work.
AI also supports predictive analytics, which can be a powerful decisionmaking tool. By analyzing historical data from past cases, AI can help forecast litigation outcomes, assess settlement probabilities, or evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of a legal argument. This empowers lawyers to offer clients more datadriven strategic advice, increasing transparency and potentially improving client satisfaction and trust.
The Trial Lawyer 29