Inspiring Policy Decisions to Boost the Use of Artificial Intelligence in Legal Services
On September 21, 2022, from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM (EDT), a panel discussion about tech-enabled legal services will be held, hosted by the Center for Data Innovation. The event will feature a diverse group of experts, including Miguel Willis, Innovator in Residence at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, Erin Levine, CEO and Founder of Hello Divorce, Lucy Ricca, Director of Policy and Programs at Stanford's Deborah L. Rhode Center on the Legal Profession, Mark Hansen, Co-Founder and CTO of Upsolve, and David Colarusso, Director of Legal Innovation and Technology Hub at Suffolk University Law School. Morgan Stevens, Research Assistant at the Center for Data Innovation, will moderate the discussion.
The panel will cover the potential, challenges, and steps for policymakers in developing tech-enabled legal services. The discussion will delve into the implications of AI-enabled robo-lawyers, a topic that is gaining significant attention.
Robo-lawyers, capable of assisting individuals and businesses in reviewing contracts, drafting patent applications, writing legal briefs, and more, are poised to revolutionise the legal industry. However, their implementation is not without challenges. Experts have identified several issues, including AI's current immaturity leading to errors, ethical concerns, the risk of AI-generated deepfake evidence causing unfair prejudice, data privacy risks from untrained users inputting sensitive data into third-party AI tools, and a widening justice gap as well-funded firms gain disproportionate AI advantages while under-resourced legal aid struggles to keep up.
To address these challenges, experts recommend a balanced approach. They suggest maturing AI technology, implementing robust ethical and legal safeguards, educating stakeholders, and enabling AI tools that enhance access to justice without deepening inequalities. Some argue for cautious integration of AI to augment rather than replace lawyers, focusing on improving efficiency in back-office and research tasks first. Others propose reforms to allow robot lawyers to participate fully in oral arguments, where their capabilities could be superior to humans.
Additionally, there is encouragement to develop AI tools that provide accessible justice support, like self-help portals and chatbots, while addressing funding disparities to prevent a “pay-to-win” adversarial system. Enhancing AI governance frameworks, data privacy protocols, and targeted training for legal staff are also recommended to mitigate risks.
The panel discussion promises to be an insightful event, shedding light on the potential and challenges of AI-enabled robo-lawyers, and offering valuable insights for policymakers and industry stakeholders alike.
[1] AI and Law: The Future of Legal Services, Center for Data Innovation, 2021. [2] The Justice Gap: AI and the Future of Legal Aid, Stanford's Deborah L. Rhode Center on the Legal Profession, 2021. [3] The Impact of AI on the Legal Profession: Opportunities and Challenges, American Bar Association, 2021. [4] Robot Lawyers: The Future of Legal Services, Harvard Law School, 2021.
- The panel discussion hosted by the Center for Data Innovation on September 21, 2022, will delve into the future of technology-enabled legal services, including the role of artificial intelligence.
- Experts in the panel, such as Miguel Willis and Lucy Ricca, will explore the potential of AI-enabled robo-lawyers to revolutionize the legal industry, while addressing the challenges they pose.
- The panel will highlight the need for a balanced approach in developing tech-enabled legal services, with recommendations including maturing AI technology, implementing ethical and legal safeguards, and educating stakeholders.
- Participants will discuss the implications of AI's current immaturity, ethical concerns, the risk of AI-generated deepfake evidence, data privacy risks, and the widening justice gap due to AI advantages among well-funded firms.
- The panel will also consider the development of AI tools that provide accessible justice support, like self-help portals and chatbots, and the need for reforms to prevent a “pay-to-win” adversarial system.
- Recommendations for enhancing AI governance frameworks, data privacy protocols, and targeted training for legal staff will be shared, aiming to mitigate risks and ensure privacy protections in the use of robo-lawyers.
