Inventus Blog


Will the use of artificial intelligence replace lawyers?



Law firms are implementing technologies such as TAR into their workflow to speed up the process and enhance their practice. Technology Assisted Review (TAR) is a process of having computer software electronically classify documents based on input from expert reviewers, to expedite the organization and prioritization of the document collection. With the notable increase of data that is being generated, it is imperative that lawyers understand how to identify, collect, search, and review data. It’s also important to understand how technology can be applied to these large data sets to come up with cost-effective workflows to handle document discovery.

Technology advancements within the industry continue to grow rapidly, and artificial intelligence is replacing some aspects of attorney work. However, Artificial Intelligence cannot replace other services provided by lawyers.

What skills do lawyers have that machines do not?

  • Self-Awareness - Lawyers have the ability to stay tuned in to their social climate and can respond to emotions.

  • Analytical skills - Lawyers can identify client challenges and how to apply legal expertise to mitigate risk, where computers are not as intuitive. 

    Empathy & Apathy - Lawyers can advocate by using empathy and apathy towards the desired outcome.

    Consultation - Lawyers have an interpersonal advantage; they can connect with humans and express ideas easier than a machine can. 

    What can lawyers do to remain successful in the practice of law? 

    Stay ahead - Technology will handle the lower level legal work in the future, and therefore lawyers should spend their time wisely and place their attention on handling complex legal issues and business development.

    Enrichment - Pursuing continuous education on legal technology is vital for lawyers to stay on top of their game! 

    Communication - Lawyers are at an advantage as they can focus on the human aspects of the law. A machine cannot replace a lawyer at trial who can communicate with jurors, judges, and witnesses.

    Embrace It - Lawyers with an in-depth eDiscovery background should continue to embrace and implement advances in legal technology into the litigation process.

  • It’s very unlikely that Artificial Intelligence will replace lawyers. Lawyers have the ability to stay tuned in to their social climate and can respond to emotions.
Claudine Schardijn

About The Author

Claudine Schardijn is a Ediscovery Project Manager at Inventus. She has over 19 years of experience in the ediscovery industry. As a member of Inventus’ Discovery Solutions Team, Claudine acts as a primary point of contact with clients to deliver services related to e-discovery. She directly oversees, coordinates, and tracks project progress and workflow from initiation to production for multiple projects. In addition, she serves as an e-discovery consultant who plans and strategizes with clients on how to leverage various technologies to accomplish their project goals.


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