Terri Mottershead presented at the 2024 QLS GCDLA Symposium with a topic called : AI in legal practice – the challenges, opportunities and everything in between!

These are my thoughts and takeaways from Terri’s presentation.

Top thoughts about AI

• Starting at the beginning, what is GenAI ? It is Generative Artificial Intelligence, think ChatGPT.
• There are lots of different types of AI, try them all because different AI suits different tasks.
• Technology is going to impact our business for all of us, big and small.
• Do not assume AI can or will solve business problems.  First define the problem, look at what the objectives are, and then look for AI to enable or support the solution.
• Clients are expecting us to use AI more than we might be.

It is less about what you know and more about how you apply it.

How AI is being used in law practice:

• Simplify / summarised documents
• Translate documents
• Analysis / document reviews
• Information extraction (e.g. document assembly)
• Content creation (e.g. blogs, press releases)
• Insights/predictions (e.g. analytics, looking at trends and data)
• Compliance and risk management

Be Aware

• Do not suffer from AI fatigue and burnout.  Technology and AI is a continually changing process. You need to keep up to date but be aware of burnout.
• In terms of the legal market, there will be those that do not use tech, and there will be those who are using it and using it well. 

The Challenge

• Terri encouraged us to try taking this challenge: design an AI tool that will replace you and the services, solution or products that your firm delivers.  You will find that what is left is your competitive advantage, i.e., the human component. AI can only take us so far, lawyering will always involve a human element.

 
Final Tips

•  Look at QLS resources https://www.qls.com.au/Practising-law-in-Qld/Practice-Support-Resources/Technology-Innovation/Artificial-intelligence
• Take AI from a tool to a teammate

 
Author: Joelene Nel
July 2024