Carolyn Elefant is tired of talking about whether AI will change the legal profession’s practice of time-based billing. She has a better list of questions. My answers, FWIW:
Oh, would some Power the gift give usTo see ourselves as others see us!It would from many a blunder free us,And foolish notion:What airs in dress and gait would leave us,And even devotion!
Robert Burns, “To A Louse” (1786)
Robert Burns understood the value of seeing yourself as others see you. Self-searching on
State bars drafting new ethics rules to regulate AI? A fool’s errand.State bars issuing guidance on how AI use fits into the existing regulatory framework? Sublime wisdom.The Virginia State Bar leads the way:
Guidance on Generative Artificial Intelligence
By now it’s well known that lawyers must pay attention to “the benefits and risks associated
Did law librarians lead the way to internet adoption by lawyers? I can’t think of any group that provided more valuable help.
Will law librarians lead the way in law firm adoption of AI? Yes, if leaders like Sarah Gotschall have anything to say about it.
Check out her “Legal Research Prompting Guide and Generative
Is it really surprising that legal research companies are exaggerating the quality of their Artificial Intelligence apps?
The more significant finding a the new Stanford University study is that both “Westlaw and Lexis offer high quality responses.” As you might expect, the estimable Bob Ambrogi is all over this (here and here).
The
When Colin Levy speaks, the wise listen. His recent LinkedIn post on keeping up with the intersection of technology and the practice of law has his usual quota of good ideas. Here are some thoughts on a few of the references:
–The Legal Tech Ecosystem (Book) (My review).-Colinslevy.com (Website)Is Levy wrong
Very pleased to see The Impact Lawyers reprint my review of Renee Knake Jefferson‘s excellent new book Law Democratized: A Blueprint for Solving the Justice Crisis.
Ms. Jefferson believes that artificial intelligence “has the potential to become the single most important tool in solving the legal justice crisis,” so on completing this review,
I think the AI Law Librarians blog might grow on me. My favorite current post? Sarah Gotschall‘s article Move Over Law Professors? AI Likes to Write Law Review Articles Too! She gives an AI-generated law review article a passing grade.
Gotschall walks readers through the process of guiding an AI chatbot (“Claude“)
I’m pleased to be working on an interview with Richard Granat, a seminal figure in the drive to improve access to justice in the U.S. Here’s what ChatGPT has to say about Richard:
Me: Tell me about Richard Granat, legal rebel
ChatGPT 4.0: Richard Granat has been a pioneering figure in the legal technology field,
“Our law firm has a policy forbidding our lawyers to use generative artificial intelligence to produce legal products such as briefs, motion arguments, and researched opinions.”
— From a partner at Carlton Fields.
Rather than requiring carpenters to use only manual saws, wouldn’t it make more sense to teach them to use power tools