Q&A with Larry Bridgesmith on Artificial Intelligence in Law
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Vanderbilt Law’s Bridgesmith talks with LTN on the role of AI in the modern law firm, whether machines will replace lawyers, and more
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a controversial topic in any industry, and when applied to lawyers, the emerging technology leads many to wonder whether AI will augment the practice of law or replace the lawyer. In this edition of Plugged In, we sat down with Larry Bridgesmith, adjunct professor at Vanderbilt Law, to discuss the issues surrounding AI’s role in law. Bridgesmith helped put together an April event at Vanderbilt Law School, titled, “Watson, Esq: Will Your Next Lawyer Be a Machine?”
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LTN: What do you make of the resistance to adopting AI in law firms?
LB: It’s predictable; it’s natural. When you look at the personalities of lawyers—and I am one, so I can speak to it—we tend to be very urgent and very abstract in our thinking, not with linear process-based thinking. Therefore, we’re looking for the right, quick answer with very little room for failure, not in the sense of failing to adequately represent your client but in the sense of trying something that may not work the first time. We are, as a breed, very resistant and say if it hasn’t happened in the past, it’s not going to happen.
So as a tribe, we are more reluctant than most, but I say that with recognition that there are many, many people that I have encountered in the legal profession that are looking to be early adopters and sometimes even innovators in this space. Those are the folks that are going to take all of us to a place where we can do more analysis. As pragmatists, we’re looking for solutions that have a degree of success already obtained, and we’re willing to adopt them because the risk of adoption is remarkably less.
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