'We need to change how we think about who the next, best lawyers coming up through the system are'
This article was produced in partnership with Alexi.
When Chat GPT was first released, many universities banned it outright. AI was seen as having harmful effects on education and while that strong reaction has since been walked back and usage policies developed in its place, there’s still hesitation in its adoption — not least of all in the legal industry, from law school to firms’ student development programs.
“This perspective that AI is a net negative couldn’t be more wrong,” says Mark Doble, co-founder and CEO of Alexi. “It has the power to be a significant multiplier when it comes to education and training future generations of lawyers. It's important that we see that soon, so we can properly capitalize on it.”
Because AI takes on tasks traditionally performed by junior associates, such as document review or legal research, one of the main arguments is that the skills associated with those tasks will be lost. While this may be valid, it’s in line with advancements in previous generations — the Internet over hard-copy textbooks, for example.
Doble points to the move from paper maps to Google Maps as a useful analogy. You may lose the skill of spatial awareness, but who would you want getting you from point A to point B?
“I would trust somebody using GPS technology to get me where I needed to go most efficiently, and far less reliant on someone using their memory,” he says. “We want the person powered by the tool and the knowledge of how to use it.”
As routine and low-level tasks are lifted, “soft skills” are increasingly important. Client management, such as establishing rapport and walking them through complex issues, are how future associates remain valuable.
Another common fear, that AI’s advancement translates to fewer entry-level positions, is also unfounded: all evidence indicates that technology creates more demand for services, and as the quality of the service improves due to its adoption, demand is driven upwards.
“This cycle is demonstrable in many different industries with various technologies,” Doble explains. “I predict the legal services industry will only grow from here.”
If AI is properly integrated into the legal education system as well as into law firms’ large student programs, up-and-coming lawyers will have access to and benefit from consistent use of these tools and the benefits that they offer. Doble urges those in decision making roles at these institutions to learn from those who understand where things are headed, such as forward-thinking law firms and the vendors and tech companies building the tools. There’s a proper pedagogical discussion to be had by experts in the field, Doble notes.
“Over and over again, we see its ability to accelerate how people learn certain things and complete particular types of tasks needed to be an exceptional lawyer,” he says. “There’s no doubt AI is playing a critical part in developing the next generation of lawyers, but its integration can be sped up in strategic ways.”
On the recruitment piece, law firms should look at schools that openly state a commitment to integrating technology into the curriculum. Overall, actively looking for those who bring the right mindset is a great place to start. Are they open to using it, do they have experience with AI tools, are they aware of the impact it has and will have on the industry?
In-house, it’s critical that firms continue to develop that affiliation as well and ensure the technology is incorporated in lawyers’ practices from the start. Comprehensive legal training now undoubtedly involves evaluating the quality and accuracy of these tools and there’s no better time to dive in than Day 1.
“Having everyone using them and learning about them as soon as possible elevates everybody in the firm,” Doble says, adding that taking the tech-forward approach and building a reputation as a cutting-edge firm is also the best way to attract top talent — and amongst the changes AI has wrought, the definition of what constitutes the cream of the crop has also evolved.
While the gold medallist students at the top law schools will undoubtedly continue to become incredibly skilled lawyers who contribute to the profession, “they may not be the ones driving the industry forward in the way we know these tools can if implemented properly,” Doble notes.
“The historical way of assessing capability and potential won’t tell us who’s most likely to advance the delivery of legal services for future generations because this technology is so transformative,” he explains. “We need to change how we think about who the next, best lawyers coming up through the system are.”
The concern out there that law students are going into debt and spending years in school just to be replaced by technology is “deeply misplaced and misguided,” Doble says. Despite AI’s game changing impact, some things are impossible to “evolve past” and that includes the human touch. He points to the traditional mentorship model as an example.
Human-to-human interaction where new lawyers develop a rapport with and learn from more senior colleagues, especially coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, is the gold standard. Even though the profession is changing, “the ability to connect with another human is only going to be more important,” Doble emphasizes, adding that those interpersonal skills should also be aggressively developed.
Overall, there’s never been a more exciting time to enter the profession than the Age of AI.
“Leveraging AI effectively means the next generation of lawyers will be incredible advocates, largely due to the technology they can take advantage of,” Doble says. “They’re empowered to add significant value to and have great impact on the industry — what they can do is sky rocketing, and everyone should be super excited about that.”
