Writing in NLJ this week, Clive Hopewell of Bird & Bird argues that senior lawyers should be visible participants in the AI revolution rather than passive observers.
Reflecting on a career that began with fax machines and paper mark-ups, he describes AI as becoming as 'indispensable' as the internet itself. Bird & Bird’s approach has focused on encouraging lawyers to develop practical use cases, while maintaining caution around legal research, where hallucinations remain a professional risk. Hopewell cites a due diligence exercise involving 250 contracts where AI-assisted review delivered a 90% saving in time, demonstrating the technology’s potential when paired with human judgement.
His message to younger lawyers is equally clear: develop AI literacy now, but never at the expense of legal fundamentals. The future belongs to lawyers who combine expertise with adaptability.
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