INTRODUCTION
Artificial Intelligence provides a new perspective globally in all aspects, to which the legal profession stands with no exception. As compared to business, the legal profession was traditionally viewed as a constraint and restrictive to rapid changes, yet Artificial Intelligence highly influences it. The sole capabilities of the lawyers, like drafting, preparing a case brief, analysing the case, and creating arguments, are also struck by the storm of Artificial Intelligence. The inclusion of AI in the legal profession has led to several benefits, such as reduction of time, increased efficiency, cost-cutting, and improvement in accuracy. The evolution of AI with legal and other professions stands at a critical point where it is not only an option but a necessity. Though it gives benefits, it also raises concerns about professional ethics, which raises questions in the profession of law. With the transformation of the legal profession, it must address a balance between embracing technological advancement and preserving the core values and professional integrity of the profession.
ROLE OF AI IN MODERNIZING THE LEGAL PROFESSION
Technological advancements have deeply penetrated and altered the landscape of the legal profession. Many of the technical tools used by legal practitioners to conduct legal research, drafting, case management, etc., are LexisNexis, Manupatra, and SCC online. The dynamic environment in law is wide, and the tools backed by AI make it more convenient, reliable, and hassle-free. In the wide ocean of law, the AI helps law professionals to selectively take a dip in it.
- Legal research
Legal research [1]is the most important factor that a lawyer seeks to learn. It is an imperative principle of the legal profession. The research ensures the fate of the matters in the court; in other words, it is the key to the lock of arguments. The inclusion of AI in the legal profession has saved lawyers from tedious tasks. Before the innovation of AI and digital evolution, lawyers had to go through the hard copies of judgments, case laws, etc., which cost them valuable time and effort.
Even after the digital evolution, legal research was not simplified. The research process resembled solving a complex puzzle with no clear or definite answer to the question at hand. The conversion of the internet to a useful and varied data source with legal points and perspectives ultimately led to the piling up of work and confusion on the research topic.
However, AI-backed research tools made it a cakewalk for lawyers. The improved search mechanism helps professionals to create their strong case with well-cited arguments with relevant precedents, and other required information.
- Predicting Outcomes
“The foremost concern in the client’s mind is often related to the outcome of the case?” The lawyers think out of the box, which enables them to predict the possible outcome [2]And liability of the case depends on many factors like evidence, witnesses, facts of the case, judges’ opinions, and so on, but largely based on their experience, reasoning, and knowledge. However, the lawyers who conclude have to do extensive research on the matter, which can also sometimes lead to false information or a negative side for them. Therefore, the integration of AI tools serves as a valuable solution for these challenges. Many of the companies have already rolled out such tools that can accurately predict the outcomes of the case.
- Document Review and Contract Analysis
The lawyers in the law firms are not only burdened with contract review and analysis but also need to go through comprehensive research and much irrelevant data that overshadow their relevant information related to a matter. To combat this problem, most of the advanced companies use AI tools in their practice to edit and review contracts and redline them.[3]. The reports made through the same are used to advise their clients.
CURRENT APPLICATION OF AI IN THE LEGAL INDUSTRY
The legal industry was known for its reliance and human expertise, but has recently gone through a drastic change with the advent of AI. AI, which was considered to be a futuristic concept, is now a practical tool that is actively reshaping the sphere of the legal landscape. It has streamlined and improved work efficiency with the automated routine tasks like document review, legal research, enhanced predictive analytics, and decision making. Some of the applications of AI are mentioned below with a detailed explanation of their role.
- ROSS INTELLIGENCE
The University of Toronto developed ROSS INTELLIGENCE [4] in 2014. It is a research tool powered by AI, built with the most up-to-date technology for understanding languages. ROSS gives the most relevant judgments, making it more efficient and time-saving. It also provides the results on a rank basis, which ensures that no leading case is missed.
- KIRA SYSTEMS
KIRA SYSTEMS was found in 2011 [5]with a feature specifically designed to examine, extract, and recognize the contract clause along with the various legal documents. It helps with file formatting, contract review, and analysing contracts in different languages.
- eBrevia
Two Harvard Law School graduates developed it in 2012. It quickly finds long text from other complicated legal documents. It also provides the best security for protecting data and provides top-class encrypted services.
The recent development in the tool is LEASE ABSTRACTOR, which enables the firm to deal with real estate and extract information about the cost recovery, money management, budgeting, etc.
- LAW Geex
Noor Bechor and Ilan Admon developed LAW GEEX [6] in 2014. It manages, reviews, and approves the daily contracts that result in a reduction of the grounds for human error, highlighting the importance of legal terms. It reviews the contracts according to the guidelines given by the user and also secures the algorithm to ensure the contract’s uniformity with the law.
RISK AND CHALLENGES OF AI IN LEGAL PROFESSION
Every circumstance entails both strengths and limitations. Artificial intelligence was created to break down the workload of humans, but the excess use of anything can lead to harmful consequences. Though the invasion of AI has influenced the legal profession, making the lawyer’s life easy, at the cost of backlash. The risk involved by the AI is as follows: –
- DATA PRIVACY
AI algorithms store the data to perform certain tasks. It leads to creating problems by risking data, as it fails to comply with the protection and privacy laws. [7]To analyse and predict certain things requires certain sensitive information, which can be risky. AI forms the ecosystem for data – data gathering, data processing, and data outcomes. These factors are greatly responsible for the data breach. In Justice K.S. Puttaswamy (Retd.) v. Union of India[8], the court held that the right to privacy is a fundamental right under Article 21 of the Constitution. It laid down the constitutional foundation for data protection.
- ACCOUNTABILITY
No superior authority currently licenses AI or mandates a license for its operation, resulting in ambiguity regarding accountability. If there is any misleading advice, who will be held accountable for the same is still the question? The answer to this is yet to be acknowledged, as AI is not an attorney nor has any legal identity, so the accountability of the same is anonymous. The classic example was recently witnessed in Christian Louboutin SAS v. M/s Shutiq[9], where the plaintiff’s counsel used ChatGPT to cite cases which was not found, as stated by the opposite counsel, for which the sanction was imposed on the concerned lawyer. The court cautioned against the use of ChatGPT in legal determination.
- LACK OF ORIGINALITY
The invention of AI leads to a lack of creativity and originalityit makes people dependent on it. The machine can replace humans, but it can never run without humans. The dependency of humans on AI is the new threat, as it lacks the possibility of innovative skills. AI acting as a replacement for a judge would undermine the justice and even lead to erroneous decisions.
CONCLUSION
Artificial intelligence has seen a rapid rise during the pandemic in 2020. AI has not only helped in the transformation of the big firms but also the small firms. Technological advancement has always stood as the backbone for the lawyers, but it has also posed a threat to the originality and creativity of the lawyers.
Artificial Intelligence transforms the legal profession, offering many advantages in terms of efficiency, speed, accuracy, and accessibility. From simplifying legal research to document review with prediction of outcomes of cases, AI has become an unavoidable tool for modern legal practice. It helps law firms to deliver faster legal services.
However, every coin has two sides that bring benefits and challenges to the transformation. The major concerning issue with AI in the legal field is related to data privacy, lack of regulatory accountability, and concerns over originality and human judgment. The combination of AI and the legal profession must be guided by a robust regulatory framework to ensure that technological innovation aligns with the foundational principle of justice.
Authors Name: Anshika Agarwal and Palak Chauhan (Ramaiah College of Law, Bengaluru)
References:
[1] Ayush Chandra, “AI and the future of legal ethics: opportunities and risks”, ISSN : 3048-8338, legal onus, 2025,https://legalonus.com/ai-and-the-future-of-legal-ethics-opportunities-and-risks , accessed 22 april, 2025.
[2] ibid
[3] ibid
[4] Lucian Schwartz, Effects of ROSS Intelligence(SSRN 20th February,2024), Effects of ROSS Intelligence and NDAS, highlighting the need for AI regulation by Lucian Schwartz-croft: SSRN, accessed on 22 April,2025
[5] “Noah waisberg , kira systems: insight from the AI journey”(artificial lawyer, 22 june 2017) rtificiallawyer.com/2017/06/22/noah-waisberg-kira-systems-insights-from-the-journey/ accessed on 13 april 2025
[6] Yoonji Han, “The CEO of legal tech firm LawGeex”, Business Insider (23 February, 2023), https://www.businessinsider.com/lawgeex-legal-tech-patent-contracts-strategy-growth-artificial-intelligence-2021-2 accessed 22 April, 2025
[7] Aditi Prabhu, Artificial Intelligence in the Context of the Indian Legal Profession and Judicial System,(Bar and Bench, 12 August 2023), Artificial Intelligence in the Context of the Indian Legal Profession and Judicial System, accessed on 22 April 2025.
[8] (2017) 10 SCC 1(SC).
[9] [2023] DHC5320(Del HC).
