How Law Firms Can Use AI

The Power of AI for Law Firms

Artificial Intelligence is truly a force in today’s business world. AI can help people from all walks of life and all professions level up their performance in new ways. Whether you want to improve your career, solve a specific challenge, or craft new thought leadership, advanced generative AI and large language models can put the tools you need right in your hands. 

Think of AI as a trusted co-pilot and handy virtual assistant. AI is evolving all the time, and the platforms available right now are incredibly capable. How can law firms best leverage these tools? 

How innovative legal professionals are using AI 

1. On LinkedIn: create a compelling profile with personalized writing suggestions. LinkedIn is one of the most powerful platforms out there for business people. It’s essential to draft a profile that showcases your personality as well as professional achievements. However, this process can feel very overwhelming. Why not try LinkedIn’s newest tool, designed to help make the process less daunting? By using the authentic content already on your profile, the tool identifies the most important skills and experiences to highlight throughout the “About” and “Headline” sections. You’ll also get suggestions on how to make your profile stand out. This is a smart way to get a lot of the heavy lifting done while maintaining your unique voice and personality.
2. Reduce hiring stress with AI-powered job descriptions. Hiring is a long and arduous task, and writing accurate job descriptions is just one part of the process. Now, you can try AI for generating job descriptions that will resonate. For example, on LinkedIn, you can try their new job description tool to create job descriptions at a much faster pace. When you’re ready to post a job, provide some basic information like the job title and firm name. You’ll get back a suggested job description that you can review and edit, saving valuable time. You can also perform similar functions with a tool like ChatGPT. The quality of content returned depends on the input, so make sure to include the job title and a few bullets that you want to make sure are included. You’ll get back a job description that likely needs some editing, but it saves you from writing from scratch. Doing so can significantly streamline this particular part of the hiring process and save a lot of effort. 
3. Get a second set of eyes on documents. AI can be applied to several areas of the law, but it’s particularly helpful for assisting with paperwork. Consider using AI for a review of documents for discoverable or otherwise relevant information, generally referred to as technology-assisted review (TAR). You can also prompt AI tools to analyze contracts or other legal documents, and perform general proofreading of almost any document. How much time could you save by employing AI tools to proof and edit the various files you deal with each day? Of course, AI is not a replacement for your own efforts. You still need to read and reread any important legal documents, but AI can serve as a sort of second opinion on your work. 
4. Perform or verify research. Computer systems can analyze large amounts of information in ways that humans simply can’t. AI applications can help significantly with research, saving hundreds of hours over time. For example, use AI to search through and identify discoverable or potentially relevant data of all forms and file types. You can analyze contracts and other documents for errors, missing information and inconsistent language, and even prompt an AI tool to perform secondary research that would take a skilled attorney hours to find. If you would like to include certain citations, you can use AI tools to find the original source and quote it properly. In a field where time is money, it makes sense to reduce time spent on these tedious tasks as much as possible. 
5. Learn more AI skills to succeed in a changing world. The world of work will continue to evolve, with AI at the center of many aspects. It’s more important than ever to stay ahead of the curve in today’s job market. Take some time to learn more about AI and how it can help you to succeed in your current role, or look for a new opportunity. A good place to start is by reviewing the courses offered by LinkedIn right now. They have over 100 courses that are free to all members, ranging from “What is Generative AI?” to “Introduction to Conversational AI” and much more. 

Remember: AI doesn’t take the place of your own knowledge. Customization will always be key, so reviewing and editing any material presented by AI is essential. Before adding any AI-generated copy to anything, it’s crucial to proofread and make sure your meaning and main points are clear. Does the content reflect your true voice (or that of your firm)? Take the time to make adjustments to optimize the copy for your audience, and for SEO. Look at AI as a handy tool that enables your best work – not replaces it.

Related: SEO for Law Firm Websites

Takeaway: 

As sophisticated as some AI models are, we are just at the beginning of this phenomenon. Expect more advancements and new tools as time goes on. If you’re not familiar with AI yet, it’s time to get acquainted. This technology can help you to do your job faster and more efficiently, while improving quality. We will continue to research and stay in-the-know on AI and all of the other digital tools that law firms can use to streamline their work. Make sure to follow our blog, where we’ll share the latest trends and actionable tips.