The legal field has experienced significant changes to how legal work is carried out, particularly in the way attorneys and other legal professionals conduct legal research. Before the existence of the internet, attorneys relied on law libraries, where they would review primary and secondary sources through books and journals. As technology evolved, digital legal databases such as Westlaw and LexisNexis made the process of finding sources much more efficient. Rather than spending hours searching through physical materials, attorneys could access a wide range of sources directly from a computer. Although digital databases made legal research more efficient, they did not eliminate the core skills of legal analysis. Attorneys were still expected to be able to translate case facts into search terms, interpret statutes and case law, as well as evaluate whether those sources are applicable to their case. Now with the recent advancements in artificial intelligence, law firms have begun incorporating this tool into the day-to-day work of attorneys. This has sparked debate due to concerns that attorneys may begin to over-rely on AI, potentially weakening their ability to independently analyze legal sources and think through legal issues. As time goes on, artificial intelligence is unlikely to disappear, meaning that the legal field must adapt to ongoing technological advancements. When used responsibly and ethically, AI can serve as a tool that allows attorneys and legal professionals to maximize both efficiency and quality in their work. In the context of legal research, AI databases designed for legal use help summarize statutes, analyze case law, and retrieve results tailored to the attorney’s query. AI can help attorneys find sources and information they need at a much faster rate. Increasing the speed of legal research can be extremely beneficial, as attorneys often work under strict deadlines and manage multiple clients at once. Additionally, AI can improve the quality of an attorney’s work because it can find more precise and highly relevant information that may strengthen legal analysis and legal claims. However, although AI can be a valuable tool for attorneys, if it is not used responsibly and ethically, it can create major issues. For example, client confidentiality may be compromised if an attorney uploads sensitive case information into an AI database in order to generate legal information relevant to the specific circumstances of the client’s case. Additionally, AI is not perfect, meaning that attorneys must rely on their own legal judgment and critical thinking before trusting and using the information generated by AI.
