Microsoft announces Copilot pricing / Is AI bad for A2J?
Legal tech is advancing rapidly with AI tools like Microsoft 365 Copilot reshaping the industry, despite concerns over cost, regulation, and job market shifts. Chinese AI regulations and Biden's antitrust guidelines also spotlight the sector’s growing complexity.
Welcome to your Law Tech briefing for Jul 21, 2023, covering what happened in legal tech recently.
TLDR; Listen instead:
Have less than a 1 min? Three takeaways from yesterday
- Law firms and legal professionals must actively evolve with the shift toward AI technology. They should leverage innovative tools for tasks such as data extraction and claims processing to optimize productivity, like Clyde & Co's use of Luminance. However, cost considerations should not be underestimated, as seen with Microsoft's Copilot pricing concerns.
- Legal industry professionals need to stay informed about regulatory changes related to AI globally, as they can impact the broader AI market. Developments like China's GenAI Measures and the Biden administration's draft guidelines on competition and antitrust issues in AI highlight the trend towards stricter management of AI services.
- In addition to navigating the technical and regulatory landscape, it is also important for the legal industry to ensure a balance between innovation, ethics, and compliance. Adapting to modern trends while maintaining ethical and regulatory considerations is key to a promising future in legal tech.
Briefing
Yesterday, developments in legal technology continued to run apace. In the drive for efficiency, law firms and other industry players continued to adopt and develop AI technologies while grappling with related issues like cost, regulation, and employment implications. Microsoft revealed the cost of its AI tool, Microsoft 365 Copilot, at $30 per user per month, a price that could significantly increase many companies' software expenditures. Law firm Clyde & Co came out of the shadows to announce their partnership with Luminance to automate the review of casualty claims, augmenting its existing Microsoft-built decision engine. Meanwhile, China's Cyberspace Administration (CAC) introduced new regulations — the Interim Measures for the Management of Generative Artificial Intelligence Services — to oversee generative AI service providers in the country.
Trends
The use of AI in the legal sector maintains an upward trajectory, with Clyde & Co's showing how the technology can be effectively used for data extraction and to accelerate claim processes significantly. However, pricing remains a concern, as demonstrated by Microsoft's Copilot pricing announcement. On a related note, the importance of paralegals and other industry professionals adapting to AI advancements is underlined, highlighting the sector's potential growth area and job market shifts. In regulations, China's new GenAI Measures may affect the broader AI market and indicate a trend toward stricter management of AI services worldwide. Meanwhile, the Biden administration's draft guidelines put the spotlight on ensuring competition and antitrust issues within this rapidly emerging sector.
Analysis
While AI continues to establish itself as an industry mainstay, its implications remain complicated. It is crucial for businesses to weigh potential productivity boosts against new costs, such as those presented by Microsoft's Copilot. In emerging fields linked to AI, like large language model development, the importance of remaining vigilant to legal and regulatory changes is underscored. Developments such as Fastcase's "Fastcase 50" honorees show the industry's recognition for innovation. Seeing these transformations and adaptations to modern trends indicates a bright future for legal tech, provided the sector maintains a rational balance between technological advancement, regulatory compliance, and ethical considerations.
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Key stories
Microsoft 365 Copilot is causing ripples in the legal space with its pricing at $30 per user, per month. The AI solution relies on large language models to provide a new way of working, integrating with core Microsoft 365 apps. Despite its high costs, potentially doubling or tripling the usage cost of MS 365 for firms, its ability to improve productivity while streamlining operations cannot be overstated. The IT leader from a UK top 50 law firm expressed concerns over increased prices on top of the MS 365 license renewal and questioned the productivity improvement, hinting at the potential need for downsizing. Microsoft's Bing Chat Enterprise, a secured AI-powered chat for work, included at no further cost, wasn't enough to quell fears surrounding a business model shift likely propelled by Microsoft's need to recover its massive investment in OpenAI.
What If AI Is Actually WORSE For Access To Justice? (Technology Archives - Above the Law)
In the world of legal tech, artificial intelligence (AI) holds promise to democratize legal services and improve access to justice. However, concerns are growing around possible negative implications and further barriers to justice. AI is increasingly used by litigants, private publishers, and insurance companies as a super tool to access and interpret vast amounts of legal data. Nevertheless, many essential legal resources remain behind paywalls, exacerbating disparities between those who can afford access and those who can’t. Natalie Byrom of the Civil Justice Council highlights the risk of AI becoming an expensive gatekeeper to legal data, entrenching existing inequalities. As AI's role in justice access grows, urgent attention is needed to the issue of who can access and use legal data. Failure to address this could potentially deepen the inequality in an already challenging legal system.
The explosion of data volume and heightened risk of cybercrime has increased the need for robust information governance (IG) in law firms. Key to delivering quality services, lawyers need to easily and securely access the right information without wasting time. Cloud-based document management systems and content repositories are leading to rising hosting costs, requiring firms to minimize storage costs through active data retention and disposition management. Ensure information systems and procedures are efficient, remain resilient against cyber attacks, and complying with the increasing regulatory environment on data privacy are equally important. In response to these challenges, many firms have started creating dedicated IG roles, such as Information Governance Directors, embedding a company-wide approach to information sharing, ownership, and management. As the cornerstone of client trust and competitive advantage, effective IG is essential in modern law firms.
All stories
Law firm Clyde & Co has teamed up with AI company Luminance to automate the review of casualty claims, significantly speeding up the settlement process. The AI system gathers data from the Official Injury Claim Portal and the Ministry of Justice Claim Portal, extracting crucial information from unstructured data. Clyde & Co has also developed a decision engine with Microsoft that automates the review of nearly 80% of medical reports. The firm is now considering other uses for the technology.
The 2023 Fastcase 50 Announced, Honoring Legal’s Innovators, Visionaries and Leaders (LawSites)
Fastcase has unveiled its 2023 Fastcase 50 honorees, continuing its tradition of honoring the top innovators and leaders in the law industry. The list features professionals from various legal sectors, making it the most international group in the award's history. This reflects the expanded scale of vLex and Fastcase after their merger earlier this year.
Paralegals Worry: Will We Lose Our Jobs to Artificial Intelligence? (Attorney at Work)
The article emphasizes the importance of paralegals adapting to AI advancements to secure their jobs. Experts suggest focusing on tasks AI cannot perform, such as critical thinking and interpersonal communication, and becoming proficient in AI tools. Staying updated with AI developments, exploring opportunities in legal-related companies, continuous learning, specializing in complex tasks, and cultivating strong client relationships are also highlighted as crucial for job security.
China: New Measures on Generative Artificial Intelligence (Technology's Legal Edge)
China's Cyberspace Administration (CAC) has introduced the Interim Measures for the Management of Generative Artificial Intelligence Services (GenAI Measures), effective from August 15, 2023. The law encourages collaboration between domestic and international AI service providers while instituting regulatory supervision. It applies to generative AI service providers in China, aiming to balance responsible AI development with innovation.
The article discusses the potential of the AI tool, ChatGPT in the legal sector. While there are concerns about AI taking over jobs, the author suggests that it could enhance productivity, especially in administrative tasks. The author argues for a shift in perspective, proposing the use of AI as an assistant in tasks rather than replacing core legal work. The article also announces a forthcoming webinar on the subject of AI in law.
How in-house lawyers can use AI-powered CoCounsel (Legal Dive - Latest News)
Casetext's AI legal assistant, CoCounsel, aids in-house lawyers with legal research, document review, and contract compliance. The tool can produce legal memos, scrutinize documents for specific data, verify contract adherence to policies, and compare contract provisions to market norms. Recently bought by Thomson Reuters for $650 million, Casetext plans to broaden CoCounsel's scope beyond U.S. law.
FTC, DOJ step up antitrust efforts with expansive draft merger guidelines (Legal Dive - Latest News)
The Biden Administration has issued draft guidelines for the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Department of Justice (DOJ) to identify problematic mergers during Hart-Scott-Rodino reviews. The guidelines are designed to prevent mergers that could harm competition or create monopolies. Critics argue that the guidelines are too broad and challenge practices that courts have previously deemed legal. The DOJ and FTC are accepting feedback on the guidelines until September 18.
Meta’s new open source large language model Llama – what you need to know (Legal IT Insider)
Meta has introduced Llama 2, an open-source large language model, in competition with commercial models like OpenAI. Llama 2, while less powerful than GPT or Google's Bard, demands less computing power and is accessible via Microsoft, Amazon Web Services, and other providers. It is free for both research and commercial usage. This launch raises regulatory questions about open-source large language models and possible violations of licensing terms.
Trellis, a state court data specialist, is launching a new feature, Law Firm Intelligence, aimed at providing insights into state court practice. The feature will offer data on a firm's case volume, client representation, and other specific metrics. It will also include outcome analytics, enabling practitioners to assess the success of opposing counsel in specific jurisdictions, thereby aiding informed decision-making. The feature aims to simplify and digitize the complexities of state court systems.
Fastcase, a legal research service, has revealed the 2023 honorees for its annual Fastcase 50 list, highlighting the leading innovators in the legal field. The list, published annually since 2011, comprises lawyers, legal technologists, policymakers, judges, and executives from diverse legal sectors. The 2023 list is the most globally diverse group of honorees in the Fastcase 50's history.
DLA Piper's blog post indicates that the interpretation of 'reasonable endeavors' and 'best efforts' in commercial contracts differs across jurisdictions. Australian courts typically interpret these phrases similarly, but English law advises against using them due to their subjectivity. Spanish law does not recognize these terms as enforceable legal obligations. The post recommends defining specific service standards and being mindful of jurisdiction-specific nuances when drafting contracts to avoid ambiguity.
It's time for a Legal Moonshot (Jordan Furlong)
The author discusses the concept of "Law Unlimited" as an opportunity to reimagine and transform the legal profession. They highlight the challenges faced by the legal sector and the potential for Generative AI to disrupt traditional legal practices. The author proposes three ambitious "Legal Moonshots" as opportunities for lawyers to address systemic problems and make a significant impact.
Remote litigation platform, Calloquy PBC, has secured System and Organization Controls (SOC) 2 Type II certification following its recent attainment of SOC 2 Type I status. This validates Calloquy's commitment to data security, availability, and confidentiality. The certification also covers court reporters and scopists, showcasing Calloquy's holistic approach toward data protection.
Four e-discovery first principles to survive the AI hype cycle (Legal Dive - Latest News)
The legal industry is struggling with the implications of artificial intelligence (AI) and new data sources, including concerns about their influence on legal disputes and investigations. Problems have arisen, such as a lawyer using AI tool ChatGPT to cite fake cases and a failure to provide relevant Slack communications resulting in a default judgment. Legal teams are encouraged to maintain foundational principles while adjusting to the evolving landscape.
Using legal training to take an alternative career path (Legal Dive - Latest News)
Erin Dunn, a legal industry expert, advocates for an open-minded approach to career exploration. Despite graduating from law school during a recession, she transitioned from forensic accounting to an in-house legal role and now works in sales at legal-services marketplace Priori. Dunn encourages others to remain curious, seek advice, and explore new roles, underlining that a legal background does not confine one to a traditional legal career.
