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Rise of the lawbots

02 March 2018 / Rupert Jones
Issue: 7783 / Categories: Features , Profession , Technology
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While the courtroom is still the preserve of the human advocate, lawbots are shuffling into legal services elsewhere. Rupert Jones puts the market leaders to the test

The robots are coming—and this time it’s lawyers who could feel under threat. Fortunately, artificially intelligent (AI) droids are not, yet, generally celebrated for their powers of advocacy. So while a crisp turn of phrase, engaging presentation, and persuasive argument remain the preserve of humans, advocates will still have an important role. But outside of the courtroom there is no doubt that AI bots are starting to undertake increasing types of legal work.

Bots can now have conversations with people about their legal dilemmas and use algorithms to predict the outcome of their case. Work undertaken by human lawyers for centuries is being computerised.

Elexirr: playing the language game of law?

Leading the way is CaseCrunch (the new name for what was Elexirr), a bot created by Cambridge students. Their initial ‘lawbot’ helped people determine whether they had been the victim of a sexual offence, now

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Birketts—trainee cohort

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Keoghs—four appointments

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Brabners—Ben Lamb

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NEWS
Robert Taylor of 360 Law Services warns in this week's NLJ that adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) risks entrenching disadvantage for SME law firms, unless tools are tailored to their needs
From oligarchs to cosmetic clinics, strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) target journalists, activists and ordinary citizens with intimidating legal tactics. Writing in NLJ this week, Sadie Whittam of Lancaster University explores the weaponisation of litigation to silence critics
Delays and dysfunction continue to mount in the county court, as revealed in a scathing Justice Committee report and under discussion this week by NLJ columnist Professor Dominic Regan of City Law School. Bulk claims—especially from private parking firms—are overwhelming the system, with 8,000 cases filed weekly
Writing in NLJ this week, Thomas Rothwell and Kavish Shah of Falcon Chambers unpack the surprise inclusion of a ban on upwards-only rent reviews in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill
Charles Pigott of Mills & Reeve charts the turbulent progress of the Employment Rights Bill through the House of Lords, in this week's NLJ
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