Wednesday, January 31, 2024

AI stands to “radically alter” or “revolutionize” law practice, according to recent reports from, respectively, the Economist magazine and the Brookings Institution. Both suggested the that the jobs of junior associates at big law firms are particularly at risk from the technology. A New York Times article offered a more cautious take, saying that “the impact of the new technology is more likely to be a steadily rising tide than a sudden tidal wave.”

At this Forum panelists deeply involved with the rollout of AI in the legal profession offered their assessment of the current state of play. What is the reality and what is hype? What areas of practice is AI likely to change the most, and how? What does AI portend for the business structure of major law firms and, more broadly, the public’s access to legal services? What do lawyers entering the profession now need to know?

Panelists

Ghaith Mahmood ’07, Partner, Latham & Watkins
Anna Gressel, Counsel, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison
Betny Townsend, Product Marketing Director, DISCO
Moderator

Christopher Jon Sprigman, Murray and Kathleen Bring Professor of Law, NYU School of Law