Tech + Law: Where They Intersect

 

Source: AI and Law: 9 Ways AI is Automating the Legal Industry (gramener.com)

    Prospecting law students often dream of a career rife with lively court debates, captivating research, and engrossing writing, far from the bores of the tech world. In reality, though, these dreams may be misplaced. In fact, extensive use of technology is becoming increasingly common in law.

    The field of law by no means requires coding, digital modeling, or other complex technological tasks, but in this tech-ridden world, it is becoming more frequently necessary for those in law to have a firm grasp of computer usage. Three ways technology is increasingly implemented in law are remote work, administrative tech, and artificial intelligence.

Remote Work

    Working from home is becoming extremely common for lawyers. According to the American Bar Association, 90% of attorneys stated that their firm allowed them to work remotely. Much of the work done by an attorney does not require their physical presence; it is often more efficient for them to work from home. Remote work is not limited to research and administrative tasks, though; virtual court hearings and even trials are becoming common.

Administrative Tech

    Law is a complicated business; as such, lawyers utilize many systems to simplify their lives. Some examples include file-sharing tools, billing software, and case management software. Because of this, attorneys need to be familiar with many different software applications.

Artificial Intelligence

    Though controversial, widespread AI use is becoming the norm in law. Lawyers use AI in many ways, but the most common is to use it to search through a large amount of legal information far quicker than a human could. They often use it to research through archives of information or laws; since only 1989, the US government has enacted 88,899 federal rules and regulations, so it is easy to see how AI could be a lifesaver!

Conclusion

    Like many fields, law constantly adapts to new technology. While many think that increased tech equals increased complexity, that is not always the case; technology has allowed lawyers to simplify their processes and devote more time to strategizing their legal cases.