Lawyers to use ChatGPT AI rival Lexis+ to draft legal documents
Top law firms including Baker McKenzie, Reed Smith and Foley & Lardner are set to trial a new chatbot AI software called Lexis+, which will allow legal professionals to research case law, summarise documents and even draft letters. Developed by LexisNexis, this AI tool has been specifically trained on a vast database of legal documents and records to ensure that the results are based on accurate information, reducing the risk of factually incorrect responses, or "hallucinations", as often experienced by users of other chatbot AI systems.
The software will enable lawyers to draft emails to clients and adjust the language or tone of a document, for instance, making a cease-and-desist letter more aggressive, as well as allowing them to conduct complex legal work in an environment that's designed to mitigate large language model risks.
Lubna Shuja, President of the Law Society, said that the time savings created by AI would help solicitors to develop their soft skills. She stated: “Empathy, compassion and emotional intelligence will remain critical, as more generative AI grows. What it means to be a lawyer will evolve, as will the type of jobs available to them and the skills required for these."
AI technology is likely to reduce the time-consuming legal research process and even accelerate the profession's move away from billable hours towards fixed fees. However, concerns about job losses remain a key issue, as nascent AI tools make automation ever easier. To mitigate these concerns, LexisNexis has insisted that it is developing the technology responsibly with human oversight and taking action to prevent the creation or reinforcement of unfair bias. The company will also offer a programme open to all legal professionals that will provide updates and education about generative AI.
