With the potential for disastrous results when used incorrectly, it is easy to see why a law firm would approach the use of AI in practice with trepidation and wariness. However, in the short two weeks since starting at the firm, I have seen how Bilzin Sumberg stands ready to harness the potential that exists by utilizing AI in the legal field.
As someone who was required to utilize legal-specific AI tools in law school, I was pleasantly surprised to see in my first week at Bilzin Sumberg that we would not only have access to Westlaw’s AI tool (CoCounsel) but receive training on how to use it ethically and efficiently. As a part of the first summer associate class to have this opportunity, below are some insights I have gathered so far:
- Risks
It would be hard to overstate the risks that come with the unbridled use of AI in the legal profession. However, AI is often an overused and ambiguous term. For example, “the use of AI” could refer to everything from a simple Google search to having a computer program write an entire 500 page lease. We received guidance on various types of AI and when they are and are not appropriate to use. We also learned about the legal and ethical obligations that one has when utilizing them. - Opportunities
Legal specific AI tools allow lawyers to gain many of the advantages of AI without many of the risks involved with other generative AI tools such as ChatGPT and Gemini (client privacy, rampant hallucinations, etc.). However, like any tool, the output is only as effective as the input. Therefore, it was so helpful to receive training on how to optimize our use of Westlaw’s CoCounsel AI platform to achieve the best results and avoid any of the pitfalls that can come with using the tool. A good prompt can make all the difference between a result that saves you (and your client) hours of time and a result that leads you down a rabbit hole of wasted time. When used correctly, I have already seen how using Westlaw’s AI-assisted research can save hours of initial research—so it pays off learning how to use it effectively. - Opportunities for Summer Associates in Particular
One of the things that the firm’s general counsel, Jeff Snyder, mentioned was that AI is one of the few areas where inexperienced attorneys will often have more knowledge than established attorneys. That is not to say that you are expected to come in with knowledge of how to use generative AI platforms, but rather that you have a unique opportunity to be an expert in something so early on in your career. And that area happens to be something that is likely to have a profound impact on the future of the profession.
For example, it is easy to see how—not long from now—the use of AI in legal research will become a competitive necessity. In other words, clients will expect to pay for the precision and efficiency of research that is possible only with assistance by AI. By responsibly leveraging AI, as a summer associate you have an opportunity to complete your work more efficiently and with greater breadth. But, beyond that, you have the opportunity to help shape the future of the legal practice by developing best practices and efficient habits that will hopefully allow you to pass those on to others at the firm. As courts and other bodies begin to develop and implement guidelines for the use of AI, who better to help interpret those rules than a practitioner who has been using AI since the start of their career?