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In today's episode, we'll cover the launch of "Lexis plus AI" by LexisNexis and Addleshaw Goddard's exploration of generative AI, the need for lawyers to focus on 'soft skills', and in-house lawyers' job satisfaction.
Let's get started!
Here's what happened in legal tech recently...
Firstly, LexisNexis has launched a new AI platform called "Lexis Plus AI", designed to provide legal document drafting and reference materials for attorneys. This platform enables conversational search, making it easy to obtain concise legal answers and manage requests for assistance. It can also draft legal documents quickly and has reference materials useful for in-house attorneys.
In addition to this, UK law firm Addleshaw Goddard is exploring the possibilities of building its own private ChatGPT application and generative AI powered by OpenAI and using open-source tools.
Furthermore, a survey conducted by Deloitte has found that in-house lawyers express more job satisfaction than their colleagues in other professions, with 85% reporting being satisfied with their work. We'll explore both of these stories in more detail in a min.
Lastly, legal professionals can benefit from the latest advancements in legal technology to streamline workflows and improve efficiency. Accountability, through billing goals, discussions, and discipline, has been suggested as a way for law firms to drive growth and increase production.
Let's dive into the first of our three key stories for the day.
Our first story explores the rise of the "human skills" lawyer. This means that the legal profession is now beginning to acknowledge the importance of soft skills such as empathy, teamwork, and cross-cultural fluency. Many lawyers and law firms previously viewed these skills as secondary, touchy-feely stuff. However, with the emergence of generative AI, human skills will be even more relevant, according to expert Jordan Furlong.
Furlong emphasizes that large language models (LLMs) cannot replace the unique abilities that human lawyers bring to the table. Good judgment, client relationships, and personal skills are all integral parts of being a successful lawyer. As Furlong puts it, "it's lawyers as people, not technicians, that resonates most with those we serve."
Because of this, law schools and regulators need to elevate these types of skills as LLMs increasingly take on the technical workloads. By doing so, they can ensure that the legal profession does not lose sight of the importance of these critical human abilities and the value they bring to clients.
Moving on, an exclusive reported by The Legal IT Insider shared that UK law firm Addleshaw Goddard is taking artificial intelligence to the next level. The firm has launched a working group called the Generative AI Decision Group to test and research the possibilities of generative artificial intelligence in the legal industry.
The group comprises experts in various fields, including general counsel David Handy, IT and innovation specialists Kerry Westland and Elliot White, and others. The goal of this group is to oversee five trials with different generative AI companies to test their applications in drafting, legal review, and productivity.
Additionally, Addleshaw Goddard is exploring the possibility of developing a private ChatGPT application powered by OpenAI. This app would help the firm communicate better with its clients and provide more efficient services.
Of course, the firm isn't taking any risks and is carefully assessing each generative AI trial to ensure it aligns with their clients' risk profiles. They are taking five AI providers forward from a list of 40. The firm is also conducting talks with clients to gauge their views on the emerging technology.
We look forward to hearing the results of their exploratory work.
Moving now to our last story, let's turn in-house work...
According to a recent Deloitte survey, 85% of in-house lawyers reported satisfaction with their work, whereas only 70% of professionals in general expressed the same level of satisfaction. It seems that in-house lawyers enjoy their work more than their counterparts in the broader organization.
The survey identified the top concern of senior, mid-level, and early-career lawyers as being their training and development. This suggests that an important driver of satisfaction for in-house lawyers is learning and development opportunities. Interestingly, the survey found that this aspect of work is harder to find the more senior the lawyer becomes, highlighting a crucial area for improvement.
It's also worth noting that almost a third of senior-level attorneys expressed a desire to move into management within five years. This points to management training as an area of learning in which they would like to invest.
Finally, the survey indicated that the most in-demand practice areas for lawyers are privacy, cybersecurity, and intellectual property. These are all rapidly evolving fields that require continuous learning and development, making it clear that the importance of learning opportunities for lawyers cannot be overstated.
And that's a wrap!
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