At Deans Stepp we know you have been hearing quite a bit about generative AI and, perhaps, have found ways to use these tools effectively in your own business. Here are a few thoughts on how AI is changing the legal profession and how we provide services.
AI is bringing significant changes to how legal work is performed. Traditionally, legal tasks such as document review, legal research, and contract analysis have been time-consuming and labor-intensive. However, AI technologies, particularly machine learning, natural language processing (NLP), and predictive analytics, are streamlining many aspects of legal work.
AI and the Litigation Landscape
While generative AI is indeed transforming how law firms operate, as litigators, we at Deans Stepp are especially interested in AI’s effectiveness in dispute resolution.
Performing Document Review and E-Discovery
One of the most notable applications of AI in legal work is in document review and e-discovery. In litigation, vast amounts of data are often generated, and reviewing each document manually can be tedious and costly. AI-powered tools can sift through massive volumes of documents in a fraction of the time, identifying relevant information, flagging privileged materials, and even sorting documents by importance. These capabilities can significantly reduce the cost and time involved in discovery.
Conducting Legal Research
AI can also accelerate legal research. Legal professionals traditionally rely on various databases to find case law, statutes, and legal precedents. AI-enhanced legal research tools can analyze these vast datasets and provide more refined, context-aware recommendations. This ability enables lawyers to find relevant legal references much more efficiently, improving their productivity and accuracy.
Using AI for Predictive Analytics
AI is also being used in predictive analytics, where it can assess the likely outcome of legal cases based on historical data and trends, helping lawyers provide better-informed counsel regarding settlement offers, litigation strategy, and case assessments. Predictive tools can analyze factors such as the judge’s history, the opposing counsel’s tactics, and similar cases, providing valuable insights into the potential success of a case.
AI Beyond Litigation
Drafting and Managing Contracts
AI is revolutionizing contract management by automating how firms draft, review and analyze contracts. AI tools can quickly identify key clauses, suggest revisions, and even assess risk factors in contracts. Lawyers who often deal with complex, lengthy contracts find these abilities particularly valuable. AI can also help with contract lifecycle management, ensuring compliance and highlighting areas that may require attention.
Automating Routine Tasks
Routine administrative tasks in law firms, such as billing, timekeeping, and client communication, can be automated with AI systems, not only reducing the administrative burden but also improving efficiency and client satisfaction. AI-driven chatbots, for example, can handle client inquiries, freeing up time for lawyers to focus on more complex client matters. A note here: our firm will never view AI as a substitute for actual client communication.
Looking to the Future
Looking ahead, AI will continue to evolve and reshape the legal landscape. With the rise of AI-powered legal assistants, lawyers may be able to offload more routine work, allowing them to focus on strategic decision-making and high-level counsel. Additionally, AI’s role in facilitating access to justice by offering affordable legal services to underserved populations is an exciting prospect.
In conclusion, at Deans Stepp we believe AI will never serve as a substitute for our legal knowledge and decades of real-world experience. But we also understand that AI has the ability to enhance our efficiency and perhaps broaden our vision. By automating mundane tasks, AI frees up lawyers to focus on more complex and strategic aspects of our legal work on clients’ behalf, ultimately leading to greater productivity, reduced costs, and better outcomes for clients. Of course, we are well aware AI raises questions about transparency and accountability. AI models are only as good as the data they are trained on, and erroneous or incomplete data can lead to flawed conclusions. While AI is an exciting prospect and is here to stay, Deans Stepp Law never fully trusts AI results and we never submit confidential or privileged information into anything but secured HIPAA compliant systems.
Sources: Generated in part 3/19/25 by ChatGPT with extensive revision by Katie Stepp. Image generated by Microsoft Copilot.