Another week, another round of travel. This time to rainy and cold Raleigh, NC. It’s a beautiful city… when it’s not cold and damp. But, I still had a great time with a number of law librarians and KM attorneys reviewing some new information tools on the market.
A lot of tools now are focusing on “workflows”. Which I have mentioned seems to be the term of the year now for newer products. However, if I hear another vendor use the phrase, “we want to meet the attorney where they work” (really meaning MS Word), I may walk out of the presentation on the spot. Remember in 2016 when everyone created a Word Plug-in? Welcome back to 2016.
Here are some other stories that caught my attention this week. Remember, you can track these stories with the AI Lawyer Talking Tech podcast (Spotify or Apple) which covers legal tech news and summarizes stories on a daily basis.
- Harvey.ai: A Love-Hate Relationship Highlighting BigLaw’s Innovation Dilemma
The legal tech platform Harvey.ai, which leverages artificial intelligence for legal work, has become a focal point of debate within BigLaw. While firms outwardly advocate for innovation and efficiency, their internal resistance to platforms like Harvey.ai reveals a conflict between embracing disruptive technology and preserving traditional billing structures. Critics argue that this hesitation stems from a fear of upsetting established practices, despite the clear benefits AI offers in improving productivity and client outcomes. This dichotomy underscores a broader challenge in the legal industry—how to reconcile a progressive rhetoric with genuine support for transformative technologies. Harvey.ai’s journey encapsulates the ongoing struggle for innovation in legal tech.
Source: Legally Disrupted - Helm360 Partners with iTrain Legal – Helm360, a provider of legal software solutions, has partnered with iTrain Legal to boost legal tech adoption by offering enhanced user training. This collaboration aims to improve productivity and efficiency in law firms by maximizing the return on investment in legal technology.
Source: Legal IT Professionals - Robin AI Secures $25 Million in Funding – Legal tech startup Robin AI has raised $25 million, fueling the AI boom within the legal industry. This funding will enable Robin AI to expand its AI-powered contract tools, making it easier for legal teams to draft, review, and negotiate contracts.
Source: AOL - LawDroid Expands AI-Driven Legal Assistants – LawDroid, known for its AI-powered legal assistants, is helping law firms streamline tasks such as client intake and document automation. Founder Tom Martin highlights LawDroid’s focus on data security and ethical AI use, providing a competitive edge for smaller firms.
Source: The Geek in Review - Lex Machina Expands Analytics to Cover All Federal District Civil Cases
Lex Machina has significantly broadened its legal analytics platform, now encompassing every federal district court civil case since 2009. This expansion provides legal professionals with powerful insights into judge behavior, case timing, and attorney performance, revolutionizing case assessments and litigation strategies.
Source: LawSites - SEC Prioritizes AI and Cybersecurity for 2025 – The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has announced that AI, cybersecurity, and crypto will be major focus areas in its 2025 examination priorities. The SEC’s scrutiny on AI usage in financial services reflects the increasing importance of technology oversight in the legal sector.
Source: White & Case - Generative AI in Litigation Transforming Workflows – Legal professionals are increasingly leveraging generative AI for litigation tasks, including document review and legal research. This advancement is poised to enhance efficiency and reduce costs, though ethical oversight remains crucial.
Source: Legal IT Professionals - Increased Acceptance of Generative AI Among Lawyers – A new survey reveals that 62% of lawyers are comfortable using generative AI in their practice. However, firms are implementing usage policies and investing in training to address data security and ethical concerns.
Source: Legaltech News - AI-Powered Tools Transform Legal Operations – New AI tools are helping legal departments harness data for insights and predictive analysis. These advancements allow for more proactive and data-driven strategies in managing outside counsel spend and operational efficiency.
Source: JD Supra - Christiane Müller-Haye on Custom AI Use in Legal Tech – Christiane Müller-Haye of LexisNexis highlights the implementation of a proprietary ChatGPT instance, emphasizing the growing trend of law firms developing customized AI tools to meet specific needs and enhance data security.
Source: Global Legal Tech Hub - Data Scraping Regulations to Protect User Privacy – Global privacy regulators have updated guidelines to protect against unauthorized data scraping, a pressing issue in legal tech. The guidance underscores the importance of compliance for legal professionals using web scraping in legal research and analytics.
Source: Hogan Lovells - AI-Assisted Hiring Tools Under Scrutiny for Bias – A report warns that AI-powered hiring tools can unintentionally perpetuate discrimination, highlighting the importance of regular audits and human oversight. This scrutiny reflects an increased focus on ethical AI use in HR practices within the legal industry.
Source: Fisher & Phillips LLP - For the Innocent AI Platform Wins Social Impact Award
An AI-powered tool, “For The Innocent,” has won a Signal Award for its role in identifying wrongful convictions by analyzing case files, highlighting AI’s potential to expedite justice in criminal cases.
Source: Legal Talk Network