By Mirona Constantinescu
Artificial intelligence (AI) disruption of the legal industry is imminent. Recent advances in natural language processing and machine learning algorithms now allow software to review documents — more quickly and accurately than lawyers. AI has the potential to save costs on routine legal services — document review, regulatory checks, trial research. Yet, as much as AI may benefit firms, it has the potential to displace them.
How, then, can law firms keep pace with technological innovation and integrate computational power into their firms — rather than be displaced by it? One suggestion: provide AI and computationally aided legal services to underrepresented groups. Thus, firms may both hedge against AI risk and serve the public good.
Currently, legal service delivery gaps exist for people who earn above the maximum income limit to receive services through Legal Aid ($25,812 for a family of four), but not enough to afford a lawyer charging $150-$500 an hour. Routine tasks, however, for which it is prohibitive for law firms to charge below industry rates, can be automated; technologically integrated; and an entirely new client market retained.
From family to immigration law, child and elder services, bankruptcy and consumer law, AI will enable firms to deliver routine legal services at a fraction of the cost, benefiting underrepresented groups. Legal bots will reduce client intake time, informing them about what to expect and introducing them to processes, costs and forms. AI can scan thousands of documents and draw from databases to suggest filing and judgment outcomes, drastically reducing billable hours and improving service delivery.
Firms that adapt most quickly to this technological frontier, leverage AI and serve underrepresented groups will achieve a dual strategic advantage. Thus, AI can both serve the public interest and fill legal service delivery gaps within law firms. While it isn’t clear how soon AI will disrupt the legal industry, it is clear that legal service delivery is inextricably tethered to AI processing power. This hybrid field follows new rules: adapt and embrace or be disrupted.
Mirona Constantinescu is a computer programmer and law student at California Western School of Law.