May 26 2021

Can All of a Lawyer's Job be Automated?

So can it? Let's jump to the point, simply put, no. The age of AI and automation has brought with it concerns, regarding job security amongst not only workers i...

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So can it? Let's jump to the point, simply put, no. The age of AI and automation has brought with it concerns, regarding job security amongst not only workers in factories where tasks are repeatable, but highly skilled positions as well.

As we witness the enhanced efficiency that comes with automation, professionals, such as lawyers are questioning whether their jobs can be automated. There are two sides to the discussion. One side is those who believe AI will replace them, and their argument focuses on the technology being too capable, though this isn't the case.

Eliminating Human-Error

A major benefit of automation, is that it reduces the risk of errors usually caused by humans. An example of how automation could enhance practices includes its ability to process and file important documentation correctly, every time. An issue that plagues many law firms, and worries many clients, is the fear of important paperwork getting misplaced, or incorrectly filed. This is a problem because missing paperwork could lead to profound legal and financial ramifications for clients, and a negative impact on a law firm's reputation, which harms the business. The fear many lawyers face regarding automation is that there's no way to extract human-error from processes where humans are involved, and, from a business perspective, if the goal is to enhance efficiency to boost your bottom-line, automated workflows would be the key to inching closer to that objective.

The other side of the argument comes from those who don't believe AI poses a threat to their jobs. Their main argument focuses on the human element. 

Empowering the Human

People are without a doubt flawed, but we are also complex. Our complexity is what allows a person to look at something and take away a perspective unique to that individual. The problem many people on this side of the argument have with automation is that it's too black and white. At this point, it's close to impossible to program perspectives into an algorithm, because perspectives are generated through lived experiences.

What this means is if we relied on automation to find precedent for a specific case, or interpret laws, it couldn't do it effectively because its cognitive abilities are limited to what is written as opposed to the nuances of the words. While there is validity to both sides of the argument, an important element is being missed. We tend to view AI and automation through the lens of science fiction, as opposed to what it is. Automation is a tool, meant to help increase efficiency by giving lawyers their time back.

Saving Time

The biggest benefit of automation is that it helps lawyers save time by analysing information at a rate and quality, impossible by a human being. Some benefits of AI applications concerning information include:

  • Conducting legal research
  • Searching and identifying relevant information
  • Scanning documentation for missing information, inconsistencies, and errors


Producing Better Quality Work

With the integration of automated software, issues related to human-error are severely reduced. Specialised software comes with the ability to execute repetitive tasks, such as preparing documents flawlessly through automation learning that can detect missing conditions or clauses, undefined terms, and inconsistent terminology across various documents.

There is no need to fear automation. It's here to work as a tool to help lawyers rid tedious repetitive tasks from their daily routine. It merely removes many repetitive tasks and allows you and your staff to focus on more pressing matters. LawMaster provides a comprehensive legal software that focuses on boosting legal processes to increase the efficiency of businesses ranging from small firms to enterprises.

To learn more about our comprehensive legal software, contact us today.