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The article provides some basic although encouraging “notes” on legal professionals facing massive employment the AI models while remaining vigilant about existing challenges. Some lawyers are already praising the so-called general AI’s ability to handle routine attorney’s tasks, others pointed out inefficiencies stemming from a lack of standardized best practices.
Introduction: AI in the legal science and profession
The term “artificial intelligence” (AI) includes various digital forms and models, such as machine learning (LLM) and generative AI. Generally, the AI technologies are helping firms and companies accelerate innovation, streamline operations and expand their activities while –at the same time- raising wide-ranging concerns on key issues such as privacy, intellectual property, consumer protection, antitrust and other regulatory matters.
Integrating generative artificial intelligence (genAI) into law firms presents a transformative opportunity to enhance efficiency, accuracy and client service; the process is expected to alter significantly the legal science, teaching and the legal profession.
Recent survey conducted in the US revealed that 75% of attorneys viewed genAI as a tool with the potential to improve productivity and efficiency; some 55% expressed eagerness to adopt it actively. However, only 25% of the attorneys (not partners, just associates, i.e. mostly younger and more digitally experienced) were already using genAI; this figure highlights a substantial 50% gap between interest in AI and its practical usage.
Among those who used genAI, its applications varied widely: attorneys reported leveraging genAI primarily for drafting and summarizing legal documents, including motions, memos and agreements. Additionally, some used it for preliminary legal research to identify potentially relevant case law or to refine and improve the readability and consistency of their written work.
Remarkable strides were made in particular in the development of foundation models, such as AI models trained on extensive amounts of various data sources.
More in: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=COM:2024:28:FIN
The widespread and rapid uptake of generative AI has drawn a lot of attention from national governance, decision-makers and numerous professions with a certain regulatory actions. For example, the EU has taken a leading position in e world by introducing a first ever state-wide AI Act, which followed some previous actions on a global scene: e.g. Hiroshima process led by the G7*), the Bletchley Declaration signed after the first AI Safety Summit**), the Paris Statement signed after the 2025 AI Action Summit +) and the Council of Europe Framework Convention on AI5, as the first ever international legally binding treaty in this field. #).
References: *) https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/library/hiroshima-process-international-code-conduct-advanced-ai-systems .
**) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ai-safety-summit-2023-the-bletchley-declaration/the-bletchley-declaration-by-countries-attending-the-ai-safety-summit-1-2-november-2023. And also – the results of a survey in Nature: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-023-02980
+) Statement on Inclusive and Sustainable Artificial Intelligence for People and the Planet. In the Council Communication: https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/CM-1497-2025-INIT/en/pdf .
#) EU Council of Europe. Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence, human rights, democracy and the rule of law, in: https://www.coe.int/en/web/artificial-intelligence/the-framework-convention-on-artificial-intelligence.
Presently acquired lessons
AI has been evolving within the legal field and profession during last couple of years; the process has already provided some lessons to accommodate:
1. Assuming that lawyers are required to provide competent legal representation: therefore, this function involves having the basic legal professional knowledge, operating skill and thorough preparation. When using genAI tools, this means understanding both the benefits and risks of the technology. A lawyer must possess sufficient technical competence to evaluate whether a particular genAI tool/model is suitable for the task at hand and ensure it is used effectively. This includes verifying the accuracy of genAI outputs, as errors in fabricated or “unknown citations” (commonly known as “hallucinations”) can result in serious negative professional consequences.
2. GenAI systems often require inputting sensitive client information, which raises concerns about maintaining confidentiality. Some models underscore a lawyer’s duty to safeguard all client-related information, regardless of its source. The rule emphasizes that attorneys must ensure the security of any data shared with genAI tools and, if there is a lack of protection that risks unauthorized disclosure, must not use such tools without the client’s informed consent.
3. Effective communication with clients is central to ethical legal practice: thus, lawyers have a fiduciary obligation to inform clients about important developments and to “reasonably consult” with them about the means used to achieve their objectives. In the context of genAI, this might mean evaluation whether using the genAI tool materially impacts the achievement of client objectives and, if so, informing the client.
4. Lawyers must ensure their fees and expenses are reasonable; this extends to the use of genAI. If, for example, a lawyer uses a genAI tool to draft a document in significantly less time than it would take manually, the lawyer can charge for the time spent reviewing and finalizing the document but, unless the client approves, not for the time spent learning how to operate the tool. However, with appropriate disclosure to the client, the lawyer can, for example, charge a higher fee for more efficient work done using genAI, compared to the same work done without using genAI, i.e. in other words, clients is getting higher return on investment. The key is to keep the client informed and get the client’s approval if a lawyer plans to change fees due to genAI.
These advancements have given rise to what is known as ‘General purpose AI’, which is capable of performing a wide array of tasks, including the “generative AI” (genAI) which can generate various forms of new content (text, code, data, images, music, voice, videos, etc.), usually based on instructions (also known as prompts) provided by the user. The quality of the output produced by these models is often so perfect that it is difficult to distinguish from a human-generated content.
Some AI applications in legal practice
AI-driven tools can now automate much of the legal practice’s work, using predefined templates to generate concluding precise, consistent and compliant documents. This digital automation not only reduces human error but also frees up lawyers to focus on more strategic matters.
The issues of document review and analysis is vital in the work of a lawyer: however, he/she has to mention how AI tools automate routine tasks like document review, contract analysis and legal research. Unlike manual review, which is time-consuming and prone to human error, AI can quickly analyze thousands of legal documents and identify relevant information. This technology significantly cuts down the time required for due diligence, contract analysis and case law research.
Besides, a so-called “predictive analytics” is vital too: the lawyer is to discuss the use of AI for predicting case outcomes and assisting in litigation strategies.
As to the issues of client’s interaction, the lawyer has to explore how AI enhances client communication through automated responses and personalized insights.
Benefits of AI for legal professionals
The following items shall be reviewed as the apparent benefits:
= Increased productivity: some date shall be presented showing how AI can save lawyers significant time (e.g. freeing up 4 hours per week).
= In cost efficiency, the issue of potential cost savings for law firms and clients due to reduced manual labor shall be discussed.
= Enhanced decision-making: the use of AI explains how advanced analytics can improve decision-making processes. Law firms should design programs tailored to different roles within the organization, ensuring that attorneys, paralegals and administrative staff are equipped to use gen AI responsibly and effectively. Training should address three core areas: technical functionality, ethical considerations and workflow adaptation.
Some challenges and concerns
As soon as the issue of AI in the legal profession is a relatively new research subject, there are some challenges and concerns; among the most vital are the following:
= Quality control of legal work: some issues shall be addressed regarding the accuracy of AI outputs and the need for human oversight. There are already some signs of misuse of genAI by attorneys: one notable case involved a New York attorney (in the US) who faced sanctions after submitting a legal brief that cited fictitious cases generated by ChatGPT. This incident highlights the risks associated with unverified reliance on AI outputs, leading to a $5,000 fine and a requirement to inform affected clients about the misconduct.
Reference to: Larry Neumeister, Lawyers Submitted Bogus Case Law Created by ChatGPT. A Judge Fined Them $5,000, Associated Press News, June 22, 2023.
Similarly, a Texas lawyer was fined for including fabricated citations produced by an AI tool in court documents, underscoring the importance of due diligence when using generative AI in legal practice.
Reference: Merken S. “Texas Lawyer Fined for AI Use in Latest Sanction Over Fake Citations”, – Reuters, November 26, 2024.
= Ethical considerations: the “cases” of ethical implications, including data privacy issues and potential biases in AI algorithms, shall be discussed with the client.
= Finally, the so-called job displacement fears: it is necessary at least to talk about worries regarding job loss versus job transformation within the legal profession in general and at a certain law company, in particular.
Future Trends in the legal AI
= Emerging roles of digital involvement: new roles that may arise due to AI integration, such as AI specialists or digital implementation managers shall be kept in mind.
= Changing business models: to predict shifts from traditional hourly billing to alternative pricing models as a result of increased efficiency. Just an example from the American Bar Association’s Guidance on AI: in July 2024, the American Bar Association issued Formal Opinion 512, which provided guidance on the ethical use of generative AI in legal practice. This opinion emphasizes that lawyers must maintain their ethical responsibilities while integrating AI tools into their work. Key areas highlighted include: competence, confidentiality, communication with clients and reasonable fees. This guidance serves as a framework for attorneys navigating the complexities of using AI responsibly.
The challenges of altering the business model of law firms and legal practitioners will become apparent in the near future because of clients demanding “more for less”.
Source: Anghel I. (2023) ‘Law firms are recruiting more AI experts as their clients demand more for less’, – Bloomberg, at: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-07-05/law-firms-are-recruiting-more-ai-experts-as-their-clients-demand-more-for-less.
AI will necessitate a shift away from traditional models like billable hours. Law firms will need to redefine their revenue models based on the value provided in “last-mile services,” such as judgment, empathy, and creativity, rather than the number of hours worked.
Source: Davis A. (2020) ‘The Future of Law Firms (and Lawyers) in the Age of Artificial Intelligence’. – Revista Direito GV. At: https://www.scielo.br/j/rdgv/a/xfgFQHzLQbJBhtPGGTzVpLc/?format=pdf&lang=en
Additionally, non-lawyer providers of legal services are also becoming increasingly competitive in the legal market. This liberalization, combined with AI and automation, challenges the traditional gate keeping role of lawyers and law firms.
More in: Kerikmäe T. (2018) ‘Legal Technology for Law Firms: Determining Roadmaps for Innovation’, – Croatian International Relations Review, Available at: https://typeset.io/pdf/legal-technology-for-law-firms-determining-roadmaps-for-39xgrxsj4p.pdf .
= Regulatory landscape as another example: potential sectoral AI-law regulations that may govern the use of AI in legal practice in various legal disciplines (civil and criminal, material and IPR practice, transport and commercial law, etc.). Lawyers underline actions in practice to ensure that all outputs generated by genAI undergo careful review and refinement by human attorneys.
Conclusion
The integration of generative AI into law firms offers immense potential for transforming legal operations: from enhancing efficiency to fostering innovation. However, the “journey” requires thoughtful planning, adherence to ethical guidelines and proactive management of organizational and employee challenges. By learning from real-world experiences, like the mid-sized law firm that overcame skepticism and structural barriers, firms can unlock genAI’s full potential while upholding the profession’s high standards.
Source: Russell G. Rewards for Training Spark ‘Healthy Competition’ at Law Firms. – Financial Times, May 17, 2024, https://www.ft.com/content/91675ca4-0671-49bd-8ecd-f0553cc1331e.
The AI integration id a challenging factor at a law firm: for example, a mid-sized law firm, which attempted to integrate genAI into its operations, can face significant challenges related to employee skepticism and technical errors in outputs. Thus, junior associates at a law company reported that the AI-generated content often required extensive corrections, leading to frustration rather than efficiency gains. To address these issues, the firm implemented training programs emphasizing human oversight and collaboration across departments, resulting in improved employee satisfaction and firm’s productivity.
Source: Gleb Tsipursky’s Case Study on Gen AI Integration Challenges at Law Firms, in: https://nysba.org/justice-meets-algorithms-the-rise-of-gen-ai-in-law-firms/?srsltid=AfmBOoq7kZK-Gj3quLmgC87AxEf-kSX5mH3zov-LLY-_C3f-Pz86fGWd