Five Ways AI Is Shaping The Future Of Litigation Law

Mark Doble is the CEO of Alexi, an AI-powered litigation platform.

When I first started my career in law, the idea of artificial intelligence (AI) shaping the legal field seemed like something out of science fiction. Fast forward to today, and there’s no doubt that the role of a lawyer is on the verge of significant transformation, largely driven by AI.

While legal tech has slowly evolved over the past few years, I believe we’ve crossed a critical threshold. What we’ve seen up to this point is nothing compared to what AI will do for the legal services industry.

The impact of AI is real, and if I’m being honest, lawyers who continue to resist embracing this shift are going to find themselves struggling. It will be a battle to grow their businesses, compete effectively and provide the high-quality service that clients will increasingly expect.

But here’s the thing: Those who have already recognized the power of AI and integrated it into their practice are positioning themselves to lead in the legal field for the next decade and beyond. AI is only getting smarter and more widely accepted, and those who embrace it now will be the leaders of this new era.

AI And The Human Touch In Legal Practice

For anyone just starting to incorporate AI into their work, my advice is simple: Approach it like you would any new hire. Just as you’d build a relationship with a new junior associate, AI is a tool that can be integrated into your practice to enhance your capabilities—not replace you. You can tailor it to work within the boundaries of your existing style and practice, ultimately making your job easier and more effective.

What’s exciting is how AI will allow us to focus more on high-value work. As it takes care of the lower-value tasks, lawyers will be able to step into a more strategic, advisory role. This shift means less time spent on routine work and more time dedicated to building stronger client relationships and crafting winning strategies.

One of the latest Thomson Reuters reports, "2024 Generative AI in Professional Services," reveals legal professionals are utilizing generative AI for document review and contract analysis, allowing lawyers to allocate more time for higher-value, complex work.

While AI incorporation has significant benefits, it’s not flawless. For instance, a common use of legal AI is to analyze literature quickly and draft a summary document. However, due to the complexity of the law sector, generative AI can have trouble understanding proper legal concepts and terminology, leading to misinterpretation and false statements. Like any emerging technology, AI will continue to evolve and improve, but in the meantime, litigators should ensure they are keeping the human touch in their daily AI usage.

Concern over the next generation of lawyers becoming overly dependent on AI is also growing. Rather than fully understanding legal concepts or mastering proper writing techniques, young lawyers could rely on AI to fully generate documents or analyze crucial case information. To balance this potential outcome with the benefits of AI incorporation, law firms should consider educating junior lawyers on the proper use of AI and where a human touch should always be included.

The Rise Of The Generalist Lawyer

AI also opens the door for a new kind of lawyer: the generalist lawyer. This is someone who can navigate various areas of law, but more importantly, they’re focused on building relationships with their clients. With AI tools at their disposal, these generalist lawyers can quickly get up to speed on different legal topics, enabling them to provide more effective service, regardless of the complexity of the issue at hand.

For smaller firms, this is a game changer. According to a report by McKinsey & Company, "The State of AI in Early 2024", organizations are starting to see cost reductions after adopting AI, especially in risk, legal and compliance departments and HR departments.

By reducing overhead costs through automation across various industries, AI helps law firms expand their client base and serve people who might have once been priced out of the market. It’s allowing us to reach a wider audience while maintaining a high level of service.

Shifting The Business Model

The way legal services are priced will change as well. AI’s ability to improve efficiency reshapes the traditional model of high-margin, low-volume work. We’re moving toward a model that focuses on higher-volume, lower-margin work, and I believe this is the future of law.

AI’s efficiency also challenges the traditional billable hour model. Charging based on time no longer makes sense in an age where AI can complete tasks more quickly and accurately. Instead, the focus will shift to delivering the best possible results for their clients, not counting the hours it takes to get there. The firms that thrive will be the ones that embrace a more dynamic pricing model—one that prioritizes outcomes over time spent.

Empowering Lawyers To Become 'Superhuman'

At the end of the day, AI is not here to replace us. It’s here to make us better. AI allows lawyers to potentially work with almost superhuman efficiency, delivering better results and insights than we could have imagined just a few years ago. It’s a powerful tool, and it’s already helping many of our customers provide service that would have been impossible without it.

But let’s be clear: The human element is still irreplaceable. AI can analyze data, spot trends and generate documents, but it’s still up to legal professionals to make the strategic decisions, provide counsel and ultimately protect their clients’ interests. AI can enhance your capabilities, but it will never replace the need for human judgment.

As I’ve said before, AI can give you superpowers. It really does. And it’s those who approach this change with curiosity, an open mind and optimism who will find the most benefit. If you do that, I’m confident you’ll find ways to transform your practice and truly lead the way in this new era of law.

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