Recent developments in AI allow for summaries of court decisions without the need, in theory, for much human input. So, what is the usefulness of blogs by lawyers (such as this one–now in its 20th year) that cover a particular legal topic if AI can do so much of the work? The answer is: insights of the author, for example based on experience, that can highlight nuances and noteworthy aspects of a decision not self-evident within the four corners of the decision itself, e.g., what parts of the decision would have the most widespread application or usefulness, or topics not previously covered in the same way or to the same extent by prior cases.
The father of blogging for lawyers, Kevin O’Keefe, is the owner of LexBlog, which is a company that provides technical support and consulting for lawyers who write blogs. He suggests humanizing a blog perhaps by including details on the blog’s author and expressing one’s personality or personal perspective in what would otherwise be dry legal writing, as one way to distinguish blogs with content primarily created by AI.
Here goes my attempt at that approach. I recently attended the Red Mass, sponsored by the Diocese of Wilmington’s St. Thomas More Society, which is an informal group of lawyers and a few judges (but not affiliated with a national public-interest law firm with a similar name based in Chicago). The Red Mass traces its origins to the 1200s in France. It soon spread to other European countries. It began in this country in the 1800s. Historically, the Red Mass was held at the beginning of the judicial year, and its purpose is intended to invoke divine guidance for those in the legal profession. For example, the Red Mass in Washington, D.C., has been attended by members of the U.S. Supreme Court and other courts, as well as many members of the bar and holders of high political office.
Also attending the recent Wilmington Red Mass were the Knights of Malta, a group which traces its origins to about the year 1100. Members such as myself have attended the Red Mass since it began in Wilmington many years ago.
My membership in any group or attendance at any event is not a determining factor in my highlights of court decisions, or commentary on these pages about legal ethics issues and related matters, which I have been providing on this blog for the last 20 years, but perhaps this post is an example of the types of personal input that would be difficult for AI software to prepare or to create without substantial human involvement.