Will AI replace legal research assistants?

Why AI struggles to replace this job

• Applying legal theory to novel, unprecedented social situations requires human abstraction.
• Understanding the specific trial strategies and personal biases of a particular judge.
• Performing investigations that require physical presence or interviewing reluctant witnesses.
• Providing the creative 'legal hook' that wins a case by thinking outside of existing data sets.

Tasks AI could automate

• Searching through databases to find relevant case law and precedents for a specific topic.
• Summarizing long depositions or court transcripts into bullet-point highlights.
• Checking citations for proper Bluebook formatting and accuracy.
• Identifying conflicting rulings across different jurisdictions for a specific legal issue.

The 10-year outlook

The traditional entry-level research role will likely shrink, with fewer positions available for those without a law degree. Those who remain must become 'AI prompt engineers' for the legal industry to survive the automation wave.

Common questions