AI is beginning to affect the way that lawyers work.
Current developments in AI have the potential to transform legal practice. The article below published in Emeerj.com describe current applications of AI in law and legal practice from helping lawyers perform due diligence and research, to providing additional insights and automating creative processes in legal work.
The law society is looking at the impact of AI on the legal system. A report has been produced looking at the ways in which AI is affecting the sector.
The article below explores the revolutionary, undiscovered potential of the use of AI in Law, and why the legal profession is ideally suited to the application of AI.
Within the next few years, we will find ourselves on the cusp of a revolution in the practice of law led by the adoption of artificial intelligence — in particular, by in-house lawyers. “AI and its Impact on Legal Technology. To boldly go where no legal department has gone before.” article published by Thomson Reuters
The MIT technology review certainly believes that AI is a technology that new lawyers will need to be aware of.
All discussed in an interesting talk:
AI, law and ethics
The Law Society has produced a report on lawtech principles and ethics to explore the transformation of large UK legal firms, and how they assess and navigate the ethical issues of legal AI.
The report emphasises that Digital transformation can only be successful by building the capabilities of members of the profession, and by understanding the functionality, limits and benefits of AI tools.
AI and the law
However — AI isn’t just impacting lawyers — its also impacting on the law itself.
We have already seen this in the case of self-driving cars. How do we create laws that can assign blame when some of the key actors are AIs. The Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV) has asked the Law Commission of England and Wales to undertake a far-reaching review of the UK’s legal framework for automated vehicles, and their use as part of public transport networks and on-demand passenger services. For example:
· How do automated driving systems fit within safety assurance mechanisms for cars (like type approval, and MOTs)?
· Who is accountable for automated vehicles in an accident or crime?
· Who will decide what is safe?
We are therefore at the start of a long process to embed AI and its societal impacts into our legal systems — a conversation that this course might help to prepare you to participate in. Give your thoughts by responding to this article below.
What can we do?
How can we participate in these discussions, and make sure that different points of view are being considered when deciding our future law, policies and regulations?
The University of Manchester is a trailblazer in Lawtech research and application. Learn more about the work of LaTi, The Law and Technology Initiative:
And read this article on ‘The Emergence of Artificial Intelligence in Law — Manchester University Law Society.’
Conclusion
AI Will Transform The Field Of Law. This insightful article explore the transformative impact of AI upon the legal profession, but starts by examining the strikingly similar principles that guide both AI and the law.
Additional resources
PODCASTS
Legal tech predictions for 2022 and beyond. Alex and Elliot discuss the eight predictions they find to be the most interesting, compelling and, in some cases… the most wrong.
What Is the Future of Legal Tech?, with Zack Glaser, Legal Tech Advisor, about the future of legal tech in 2022 and beyond. https://open.spotify.com/episode/3ez48Zk6dwoDXHZ9bn8JGW?si=ysxKWizzSiWNnfIzI5g9pQ&utm_source=native-share-menu
Professor Murray on the law and ‘Robots, the Metaverse and Biometric Surveillance.’ Professor Andrew Murray: Robots, the Metaverse and Biometric Surveillance — The Review Podcast | Acast
The LSE Law, Technology and Society group conducts world-leading research into the legal, regulatory, policy and social implications of AI, robotics, biotechnologies, and LawTech. They have many interesting resources and articles here:
Authors
Ajmal Mubarik, Bioethics and Medical Jurisprudence
Iliada Eleftheriou, Lecturer in Healthcare Sciences
Fran Hooley, Lecturer in Technology Enhanced Learning
