Summary: What Can Legal Analytics Do? The Data Behind Analytics Magic The Value of Legal Analytics Will Legal Analytics Replace Lawyers? Revolutionize Your Practice With Legal Analytics ...
Summary: Excessive Attorney's Fees: Recap of the Case A Call for AI in Legal Research Prepare for the Courtroom with AI-Enhanced Technology This article was originally published on February...
The legal technology landscape is evolving rapidly in front of our eyes, creating a whole new vocabulary of AI-related terms and phrases . For those of us who aren’t product developers or software...
Summary: What is Artificial Intelligence Artificial Intelligence in Law Resources and Information Try AI-Powered Legal Research Technology Back in 2019, the ABA Legal Technology Survey...
Summary Heroic but Unequal Equal Pay in the Legal Industry Make a Change with Practical Guidance This article was originally published in June 2018 with updates made on March 9, 2023. Our...
Summary:
Back in 2019, the ABA Legal Technology Survey reported that only 8% of respondents were using resources with artificial intelligence (AI). In a few short years, however, AI has become a focal point in conversation within the legal industry and beyond. With the rise of new technologies like Chat-GPT, many attorneys are asking questions like:
At this point, chances are, you're already using this technology in some areas of your legal research. For example, in 2020, LexisNexis® released Lexis+®, an AI-backed legal research solution, and users began discovering how AI can help locate relevant information faster and more cost-effectively. Still, the questions posed above are valid, and we're here to help you find answers. This article details how AI can be used in the legal industry, offering examples, resources, and tips.
But first — what exactly is artificial intelligence?
Artificial intelligence (AI) is the simulation of human intelligence in machines that are programmed to learn, problem-solve, make decisions, and understand language — all tasks typically performed by (you guessed it) humans. In contrast to pre-programmed machines, AI utilizes techniques such as machine learning, natural language processing, and computer vision to process and analyze vast amounts of data, meaning these machines can learn and adapt on their own, without human intervention.
While this may sound unnerving, AI ultimately serves as a tool to aid you in working more efficiently. AI won't replace attorneys, but it can help legal professionals achieve new heights in their careers. The key question, of course, is how?
Simply stated, AI-powered legal research platforms can help lawyers do more billable work more quickly, allowing them to spend more time putting that research to good use by counseling clients, negotiating with opposing counsel, or performing other higher-level work. This is particularly important for attorneys who provide their services on a flat-fee or contingency-fee basis, where more time spent on legal research could lead to lower profit margins.
AI in the legal technology industry tend to be more "extractive," meaning that they crawl and pull information from a large database, but you'll see AI's capabilities employed in a variety of angles including:
A few examples of these types of specific legal tech solutions include:
AI-based legal research software like Brief Analysis can mine archives of legal precedents to find supporting documentation to bolster a legal argument. The more it’s used, the more it automatically “learns” and gets smarter, which makes it faster and easier to find and digest relevant documents.
Context is a judicial analytics tool that can analyze a judge’s past decisions, enabling lawyers to pinpoint the types of arguments a certain judge typically finds most persuasive, how that judge typically rule on certain motions and more. These types of insights can make or break a case.
Take a Free Guided Tour of Context
Type a question in the Lexis+ search bar and get an accurate, succinct answer to your question at the top of your search results, instead of digging through documents manually.
Lexis Answers Training On the Go
According to the American Bar Association, over half of lawyers who responded to its 2022 Legal Technology Survey are increasing their technology budgets. What's more, 65.9% of respondents claimed receiving training or education about emerging technologies like AI is either "somewhat important" or "very important. This indicates that staying competitive in the legal industry will require attorneys to become well-acquainted with artificial intelligence, ultimately learning how to make the most of this new ally in research.
If you are hoping to learn more about AI in the legal world, you can check out one of these articles:
It is undeniable that technology-driven research tools hold the massive potential to help lawyers become better legal practitioners. While many are amazed by what AI can already do, all indications are that the technologies behind it will continue to get better and better — and LexisNexis is here to support you as technology continues to develop. Contact us to learn more about how you can incorporate AI into your research today or explore Lexis+ by clicking below.
Free Lexis+ Instant Trial Buy Now