Page 41 - Cyber Defense eMagazine March 2024

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Digital Transformation and Legal Services Today

Gone are the days of purely paper-based processes and face-to-face consultations. Cloud computing,
artificial intelligence, and machine learning now underpin legal research, document analysis, and grant
remote access to vital case files, ensuring efficiency and matching the evolving client expectations for
transparency, security, and promptness.

One powerful way in which artificial intelligence models have been used in the legal industry is to power
e-discovery platforms. It’s worth noting that some of the most recognized and frequently used e-discovery
platforms — like Relativity and LexisNexis — have long used AI to power some of their functions.
However, SaaS options have arisen that use artificial intelligence for purposes like document reviews
and legal research.

Like professionals in many industries, lawyers can also train widely available AI platforms to better fit
their needs. For example, lawyers can use large language models to analyze an agreement against a
template in a faster amount of time, allowing them to handle more volume. Although it is still important
for a trained legal expert to be involved — both to formulate the criteria upon which the AI will analyze a
document, and to advise their clients on the anomaly the AI detects.

Embracing Responsible AI in Legal
However, the integration of AI in legal processes brings forth considerations beyond mere efficiency.
Responsible AI — an emerging paradigm — insists on AI being transparent, accountable, ethical, and
user-centric. For legal professionals, this means ensuring that AI tools are transparent in their decision-
making, are held accountable for predictions or suggestions, are employed ethically, and finally, are
always used in the best interest of clients.

Transparency is an essential facet of a responsible AI system. Particularly for use cases involving
sensitive data — which is always the case in the legal profession — it is essential that AI platforms are
transparent with their terms of use (and that lawyers are diligent in reading them) to ensure that the data
fed into the model is secure and used only as intended. This level of transparency will ensure that the
correct party is held accountable if there is abuse or misuse.

Lawyers must also understand the ethical implications of AI use in their occupation. For one, there are
several regulations that lawyers will be expected to follow at both the state and federal levels, as well as
additional compliance policies that should be put in place for user and client security at the firm level.
Beyond that, lawyers should also understand the obligation they have to their clients to provide competent
service. If they use AI responsibly — as a tool to improve their efficiency and quality of output — they are
fulfilling this obligation. However, if it is applied irresponsibly, without the proper checks and balances, it
could hurt the client.

One thing about the use of generative AI in the legal field that virtually any lawyer will tell you is that these
models are prone to mistakes. However, when dealing with technically complex information — such as

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