What’s the buzz about Artificial Intelligence (AI)? A budding technology, AI is being used by businesses and individuals alike to streamline menial tasks, write content, analyze information, and so much more. It’s no wonder that law firms were also fast to jump on the AI train!
In this guide, we’ll highlight some of the most popular and practical use cases of AI for law firms — from economizing internal operations to creating marketing collateral to generating leads. Learn how to use AI to benefit your legal practice.
What is the Most Common Use of AI?
It’s difficult to pinpoint the most common use of AI — there are so many.
At the time of writing this guide, no research report has produced exact statistics on how most users are utilizing AI. All we can gather are some of the most popular use cases, as reported by leading publications like Forbes and the New York Times.
These popular use cases include:
- Sending emails and messages
- Managing finances
- Understanding analytical data
- Writing content
- Creating documents and contracts
- Proofreading and editing
- Generating graphics, artwork, and images
- Creating chatbots
- Streamlining logistics and supply chains
- Manage retail inventory
- Improving customer experience
- Planning workouts
- Enjoy virtual reality and games
Now, you may be wondering, “What does this have to do with my law firm?”. In reality, the science behind many of these applications is used to benefit law firms as well. In fact, some of the same tools – like ChatGPT – are equally efficient at writing college essays as they are drafting legal contracts.
We are only at the beginning of understanding what’s possible with AI.
Common AI Use Cases for Legal Businesses
Now, the good stuff: How can law firms use AI? Here, we’re happy to share some of the most common ways that legal professionals are using AI tools to grow their practice.
But keep in mind, this list is far from exhaustive. AI’s application to your business is also driven by your own creativity. We encourage you to think outside the box!
Conduct SEO keyword research
AI-driven SEO tools can be used to identify keywords your audience might be searching for, and the associated search volume for each. This data can be used to inform your law firm SEO strategy, like what keywords to target on your web pages or what blog posts to write next.
Draft web page and blog post outlines
AI writing tools like Surfer or ChatGPT can be used to write outlines for web pages or blog posts. This will help you structure your website content and save time compared to drafting the outline yourself. AI tools can even suggest what headings, links, or bullet points to add.
Monitor regulatory and compliance requirements
Some AI tools, like IBM Watson Regulatory Compliance, can help in monitoring regulatory changes and compliance requirements. These AI tools use artificial intelligence to analyze and interpret regulatory documents, helping law firms stay informed about changes in regulations that may impact their operations. Some tools may even offer risk assessments and recommendations to help lawyers adapt to the evolving regulatory landscapes.
Automate the research process
AI-powered tools can be used to search through vast amounts of legal documents, cases, and statutes. This helps lawyers, paralegals, and researchers save tons of time on the research process. AI is often able to capture and summarize information that may be overlooked by human legal professionals. With AI, you may be able to build stronger cases and provide more efficient legal advice to clients.
Predict case outcomes and assess risks
Some AI tools like ROSS Intelligence and Lex Machina (both legal-specific AI tools) can analyze historical case data and predict case outcomes (or risks) to inform your legal strategy. With AI, lawyers can gain a strategic advantage and improve overall case management through the ability to make data-driven decisions.
Draft and review contracts
For many lawyers, drafting documents is the most tedious task. Especially considering that contracts are often recurring documents that don’t really need to be created from scratch. AI can streamline the process by automatically identifying key clauses, potential risks, and anomalies within contracts, and replicating existing documents in seconds. AI can help with contract management by standardizing language, ensuring compliance, and reducing the time spent on menial contract tasks.
Automate operational tasks
Similarly, AI can be used to automate many repeatable tasks in your business. For example, scheduling, managing emails, generating invoices, and sending paperwork can all be accomplished with AI. These time savings allow you to focus more on complex, high-value tasks, like communication directly with clients or developing your case strategy.
Respond to client inquiries
Not all client communications need to be drafted by you, though. AI tools can help you manage your communications too. For example, AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants are able to provide immediate responses to users; this can include answers to frequently asked questions, scheduling appointments, or directing potential clients to legal resources.
Create and optimize marketing campaigns
There are so many AI tools available that can be used to create marketing content. For example, Surfer SEO and ChatGPT can be used to create, optimize, and edit SEO content for service pages, blog posts, and articles. Other AI tools can be used to create social media captions, draft emails, write ad copy, optimize paid ads, and analyze your content performance.
Some AI tools can even monitor your social media platforms to track mentions, reviews, and discussions related to your law firm (or associated legal topics). You can gain insight into what types of topics your audience is interested in, what content engages them the most, and which campaigns are driving new leads for your business.
Surface marketing ideas and recommendations
It’s not uncommon for business owners to hit a creative block when it comes to their marketing. AI can help you get over the hump. Prompts like, “Provide me with a list of 10 blog topics for my firm” or “Come up with some ideas for an email marketing campaign” or “What hashtags should I use on my law firm Instagram account?” can help get the wheels turning.
AI tools leverage vast databases of information to come up with creative, relevant, and effective marketing ideas. You can always adapt these based on the unique interests of your audience and the characteristics of your brand. With AI, “writer’s block” becomes a thing of the past.
Examples of AI Applications for Law Firms
It’s one thing to understand the application of AI in theory; it’s another to see it in practice. That’s why we’re providing a few specific examples of how AI can be used in a legal context.
Legal research for a personal injury firm
You own a law firm that is representing a client in a personal injury case involving a workplace accident. You need to gather relevant case law and analyze documents related to workplace safety regulations.
You could use ROSS Intelligence to find and analyze historical cases involving workplace accidents. AI can extract relevant legal precedents and provide insights into how courts have interpreted workplace safety regulations in similar situations. You use this information to develop your legal strategy, building confidence with your client by relaying positive outcomes achieved with similar strategies.
Predictive analytics for a child custody case
Your family law firm is handling a child custody dispute case. You want to hypothesize about potential outcomes and assess the risks with different strategies, relaying these to your client so they can make an informed decision about their case.
You use Lex Machina to analyze past child custody cases and predict the outcomes associated with various strategies. Lex Machina looks at similar cases, judges’ rulings, and jurisdictional trends to provide recommendations. With this data, you’re more confident on which direction to steer your client.
Contract review for a business merger
Your law firm is involved in a huge merger and acquisition deal. You’re tasked with reviewing a large number of contracts, which could take your team weeks. But, you know it’s important to review these documents closely in order to identify any potential risks or liabilities for your client.
You turn to the AI tool Kira Systems to automate the contract review process. With oversight by your research team, Kira Systems is used to extract the important information from the contracts, related to the M&A deal. Your law firm is then able to identify and record all clauses related to liabilities, indemnities, and compliance, and relay these to the business.
E-discovery for a litigation case
Your litigation firm is involved in a product liability case against a large pharmaceutical company. You’ve moved to discovery, and there’s a massive amount of electronic data to sort through related to the drug in question.
You use an AI-driven tool, Relativity, to automatically categorize and prioritize the electronic documents under review. You’re able to surface and organize all the information you find related to the product liability case. AI is able to speed up the document review process compared to having your team manually review hundreds of documents.
AI may be new terrain for many law firms but the benefits of this technology can’t be denied. If used correctly, AI can help you streamline your operations and produce better results from your marketing. At Hennessey Digital, we’re all about helping our clients generate more leads and traffic with future-thinking marketing. Contact us to learn more about our approach today.