Practice groups most/least vulnerable to automation Forum

[Baron7]

I am a little concerned about the apparent rapid advancement of AI technology. In light of this, do you you think there are practice groups that are relatively more likely to be subject to automation in the near or medium-terms? Are there others that likely will be secure? I’m particularly interested in the outlook on tax.

[Anonymous User]

I am a little concerned about the apparent rapid advancement of AI technology. In light of this, do you you think there are practice groups that are relatively more likely to be subject to automation in the near or medium-terms? Are there others that likely will be secure? I’m particularly interested in the outlook on tax.

There is no way in hell that the ABA allows automation to infringe on the legal monopoly

[Antetrust]

I am a little concerned about the apparent rapid advancement of AI technology. In light of this, do you you think there are practice groups that are relatively more likely to be subject to automation in the near or medium-terms? Are there others that likely will be secure? I’m particularly interested in the outlook on tax.

Contracts and tax are most vulnerable, but honestly everything is going to be dramatically affected.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone who says contracts are vulnerable knows nothing about how contracts are actually drafted.

[Antetrust]

Anyone who says contracts aren't vulnerable knows nothing about AI.

[hangtime813]

I can see AI preparing template contracts and maybe even doing the first pass of redlines by inserting standard terms, but automating negotiations/doing the back and forth seems light years away.

[Anonymous User]

Much more likely it changes what 1st/2nd years are doing across the board than what an entire practice group does IMO. The strategic thinking/psychology/finance/law combo that senior lawyers practice is pretty immune to AI.

[AllAboutTheBasis]

Anyone who thinks tax is vulnerable knows nothing about tax. I wouldn’t worry about it.

[crazywafflez]

I can see AI preparing template contracts and maybe even doing the first pass of redlines by inserting standard terms, but automating negotiations/doing the back and forth seems light years away.

Yeah, I agree with this. My understanding of contracts is limited, and my understanding of AI is even more so... So take my thoughts with a huge grain of salt. But yeah, I can see AI drafting things (not just contracts but general complaints, too), but AI can't really negotiate or do the back and forth required for transactional and litigation work. At least not yet.

[becodalapa]

Anyone who thinks tax is vulnerable knows nothing about tax. I wouldn’t worry about it.

I would love to hear the person who thinks tax is vulnerable explain what they think tax lawyers do.

[Prudent_Jurist]

I don’t think AI is going to replace lawyers or legal professionals, just change how our jobs are performed. I’m looking forward to it, actually. Automate the hell out of simple drafting, form-filling, and other tasks, please. Let me strategize about how best to take my deposition, how to shade my motion, etc., without having to do the more mundane things.

If anything, I think the advent of AI in the legal industry will impact legal assistants and paralegals more. It was the same thing when word processing departments were wiped out with the advent of the personal computer and lawyers began typing shit for themselves.

[Antetrust]

Anyone who thinks tax is vulnerable knows nothing about tax. I wouldn’t worry about it.

There are already tax AI programs being commercially marketed to law firms. Maybe you should worry about it more than you are.

[Antetrust]

I don’t think AI is going to replace lawyers or legal professionals, just change how our jobs are performed. I’m looking forward to it, actually. Automate the hell out of simple drafting, form-filling, and other tasks, please. Let me strategize about how best to take my deposition, how to shade my motion, etc., without having to do the more mundane things.

If anything, I think the advent of AI in the legal industry will impact legal assistants and paralegals more. It was the same thing when word processing departments were wiped out with the advent of the personal computer and lawyers began typing shit for themselves.

You and everyone else are basically right, yet missing the actual consequences.

Yes, AI will complement legal services, rather than completely replace everything a single lawyer does - at least in the short term. But here's the consequence: when, say, 40% of your job (by time spent) becomes automated, and 40% of my job, and 40% of every lawyer's job becomes automated, that means that the demand for lawyer-labor hours just went down by 40%. That means 40% fewer lawyers are hired (all else being equal).

Yes, your job will change, yes the world will still need lawyers, but no, that doesn't mean your job is safe.

[Antetrust]

Anyone who thinks tax is vulnerable knows nothing about tax. I wouldn’t worry about it.

I would love to hear the person who thinks tax is vulnerable explain what they think tax lawyers do.

I would love to hear the person who thinks tax isn't vulnerable explain why they think AI can't automate the process.

[bree]

I don’t think AI is going to replace lawyers or legal professionals, just change how our jobs are performed. I’m looking forward to it, actually. Automate the hell out of simple drafting, form-filling, and other tasks, please. Let me strategize about how best to take my deposition, how to shade my motion, etc., without having to do the more mundane things.

If anything, I think the advent of AI in the legal industry will impact legal assistants and paralegals more. It was the same thing when word processing departments were wiped out with the advent of the personal computer and lawyers began typing shit for themselves.

You and everyone else are basically right, yet missing the actual consequences.

Yes, AI will complement legal services, rather than completely replace everything a single lawyer does - at least in the short term. But here's the consequence: when, say, 40% of your job (by time spent) becomes automated, and 40% of my job, and 40% of every lawyer's job becomes automated, that means that the demand for lawyer-labor hours just went down by 40%. That means 40% fewer lawyers are hired (all else being equal).

Yes, your job will change, yes the world will still need lawyers, but no, that doesn't mean your job is safe.

I think the point that others have made is that it affects certain lawyers much more than others. That is, when you say "40% fewer lawyers", it has a disproportionate effect on more junior lawyers.

That is, diligence and the initial contract templates/drafting are what more junior lawyers spend the bulk of their time on. That part likely can be automated, at least in part, and so it would make sense that there would be a thinning out of the more junior lawyer ranks.

More senior lawyers, however, rarely do diligence and rarely draft the initial templates. Instead, the bulk of their time is spent reviewing what's been initially drafted, "counseling" clients (both of the legal and psychological variety) and negotiating with others. That part seems much harder to automate and so there wouldn't be a thinning of these more senior lawyer ranks.

[Antetrust]

I don’t think AI is going to replace lawyers or legal professionals, just change how our jobs are performed. I’m looking forward to it, actually. Automate the hell out of simple drafting, form-filling, and other tasks, please. Let me strategize about how best to take my deposition, how to shade my motion, etc., without having to do the more mundane things.

If anything, I think the advent of AI in the legal industry will impact legal assistants and paralegals more. It was the same thing when word processing departments were wiped out with the advent of the personal computer and lawyers began typing shit for themselves.

You and everyone else are basically right, yet missing the actual consequences.

Yes, AI will complement legal services, rather than completely replace everything a single lawyer does - at least in the short term. But here's the consequence: when, say, 40% of your job (by time spent) becomes automated, and 40% of my job, and 40% of every lawyer's job becomes automated, that means that the demand for lawyer-labor hours just went down by 40%. That means 40% fewer lawyers are hired (all else being equal).

Yes, your job will change, yes the world will still need lawyers, but no, that doesn't mean your job is safe.

I think the point that others have made is that it affects certain lawyers much more than others. That is, when you say "40% fewer lawyers", it has a disproportionate effect on more junior lawyers.

That is, diligence and the initial contract templates/drafting are what more junior lawyers spend the bulk of their time on. That part likely can be automated, at least in part, and so it would make sense that there would be a thinning out of the more junior lawyer ranks.

More senior lawyers, however, rarely do diligence and rarely draft the initial templates. Instead, the bulk of their time is spent reviewing what's been initially drafted, "counseling" clients (both of the legal and psychological variety) and negotiating with others. That part seems much harder to automate and so there wouldn't be a thinning of these more senior lawyer ranks.

Yes I agree!

[El Greco]

Among the least, I'll add restructuring.
1) Negotiations and people are huge factors in that area. Unique solutions can be decided based on the parties relationship, economic landscape, specific legal interpretations, etc.
2) Even if it could replace an RX lawyer, you don't want AI to counsel you in one of the most stressful moments in your life. If such software existed, then to begin with, it means it could also have prevented the bankruptcy and if that's the case, then it also means it could altogether replace entire management teams if it can take better decisions than them (which is impossible to happen in the next decades).

[becodalapa]

Anyone who thinks tax is vulnerable knows nothing about tax. I wouldn’t worry about it.

There are already tax AI programs being commercially marketed to law firms. Maybe you should worry about it more than you are.

Do you know what tax lawyers actually do?

[Anonymous User]

Exec comp and benefits is probably one of the least

[Anonymous User]

Anyone who thinks tax is vulnerable knows nothing about tax. I wouldn’t worry about it.

There are already tax AI programs being commercially marketed to law firms. Maybe you should worry about it more than you are.

Do you know what tax lawyers actually do?

Sure, I'll bite. Tax lawyers complete the client's tax returns, which is harder than you might think given how complicated the instructions can be (not to mention the math involved when you tally things ups at the end). They sometimes also help complete a "check the box" election form to convert a business into a corporation (but just for "tax purposes," so doesn't have real consequences), but sometimes the client does that in-house.

Might have missed a few things but think that's the big stuff.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone who thinks tax is vulnerable knows nothing about tax. I wouldn’t worry about it.

There are already tax AI programs being commercially marketed to law firms. Maybe you should worry about it more than you are.

Do you know what tax lawyers actually do?

Sure, I'll bite. Tax lawyers complete the client's tax returns, which is harder than you might think given how complicated the instructions can be (not to mention the math involved when you tally things ups at the end). They sometimes also help complete a "check the box" election form to convert a business into a corporation (but just for "tax purposes," so doesn't have real consequences), but sometimes the client does that in-house.

Might have missed a few things but think that's the big stuff.

Can’t tell if this is a joke or not. If serious, you indeed do not know what tax lawyers do.

[sonnyboy]

Anyone who thinks tax is vulnerable knows nothing about tax. I wouldn’t worry about it.

There are already tax AI programs being commercially marketed to law firms. Maybe you should worry about it more than you are.

Do you know what tax lawyers actually do?

Sure, I'll bite. Tax lawyers complete the client's tax returns, which is harder than you might think given how complicated the instructions can be (not to mention the math involved when you tally things ups at the end). They sometimes also help complete a "check the box" election form to convert a business into a corporation (but just for "tax purposes," so doesn't have real consequences), but sometimes the client does that in-house.

Might have missed a few things but think that's the big stuff.

Can’t tell if this is a joke or not. If serious, you indeed do not know what tax lawyers do.

Just piggybacking on this, this is so far from what tax lawyers do. Accountants/CPAs look at tax returns. I do gift tax returns in my practice area (estates and trusts) which could definitely be automated, but there is some legal complexity with respect to GST stuff that most accountants get wrong. But yeah... tax lawyers don't do tax returns. I barely even look at numbers usually, unless we are moving assets around according to client wishes. It's all drafting and IRC interpretation and identifying what the client actually wants/needs versus what they say they want/need.

[DiligentSage]

Anyone who thinks tax is vulnerable knows nothing about tax. I wouldn’t worry about it.

There are already tax AI programs being commercially marketed to law firms. Maybe you should worry about it more than you are.

Do you know what tax lawyers actually do?

Sure, I'll bite. Tax lawyers complete the client's tax returns, which is harder than you might think given how complicated the instructions can be (not to mention the math involved when you tally things ups at the end). They sometimes also help complete a "check the box" election form to convert a business into a corporation (but just for "tax purposes," so doesn't have real consequences), but sometimes the client does that in-house.

Might have missed a few things but think that's the big stuff.

This is so much worse than even a 1L's interpretation of tax lawyer work that I'm convinced it's satire.

[Sackboy]

Not really sure why we're having this discussion re tax lawyers. I think it's common knowledge in the industry that tax lawyers are already heavily reliant on turbotax and have seen a drastic decline in substantive knowledge due to the IRS' staffing issues and inability to properly audit. Now that the IRS has these 87,000 new agents and actually intends to enforce the internal revenue code, you'll probably see tons of junior partners, who were able to coast by being mediocre attorneys with turbotax, scrambling to dust off their math textbooks and actually get the math right. Don't be surprised when turbotax rolls out a version above deluxe to milk biglaw tax lawyers in desperate need of the additional assistance. It's pretty obvious that ChatGPT is the death knell for tax lawyers.

[BrainsyK]

Sure, I'll bite. Tax lawyers complete the client's tax returns, which is harder than you might think given how complicated the instructions can be (not to mention the math involved when you tally things ups at the end). They sometimes also help complete a "check the box" election form to convert a business into a corporation (but just for "tax purposes," so doesn't have real consequences), but sometimes the client does that in-house.

Might have missed a few things but think that's the big stuff.

I'm so glad that I use still TLS sometimes.