AI in Law Firms: 4 Game Changing Examples to Boost Your Productivity Now

Forget endless nights spent combing through contracts and reviewing documents. Imagine a future where your best lawyers are freed up for strategy and creativity instead of getting bogged down by tedious tasks. Welcome to the age of AI in law firms.

In the last few years we’ve witnessed a massive rise in the use of AI, both inside and outside of legal firms. From automating mundane tasks to analyzing vast amounts of data in seconds, AI can bring your law firm into the modern era. In this post we’ll explore the benefits of adopting AI in law firms, from freeing up time to streamlining workflows, and how Smokeball can help modernize your legal practice.

Groundbreaking Reasons to Adopt AI in Your Law Firm

Before we get into the benefits of AI for lawyers, let’s squash a potential fear right now— we’re not talking about robot attorneys arguing with each other in court.

As Smokeball’s founder and CEO Hunter Steele says, “AI won’t replace you, but those who use it will soon eclipse those who don’t.”

Think of AI as a tool for doing hours of grunt work, freeing up human lawyers to think creatively and strategize. Let’s get into some reasons to adopt AI in your legal practice. Broadly speaking, the main benefits can be grouped into improved efficiency, accuracy, service, and innovation.

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1. Increased Efficiency and Productivity

Automating Repetitive Tasks

To start, one of the most immediate benefits of AI in law firms is the automation of repetitive tasks. Consider the hours legal staff spend on document management, billing, and scheduling. AI can handle these routine tasks with ease, reducing human error and freeing up time for lawyers to focus on higher-level, billable work that requires their expertise. Also, one easy area you can save time is on client intake forms.

With Smokeball Intake.Ai, you can say goodbye to paper forms and PDFs and use AI to create streamlined digital intake forms.

Streamlining Document Management

Imagine a system that can instantly organize, categorize, and retrieve documents. AI-powered systems can index vast amounts of data, making it easier to find specific documents in a fraction of the time over doing it manually. By adopting AI for document management, law firms not only save time but also enhance the integrity and reliability of their document-handling processes, giving both the company and clients peace of mind.

Faster Legal Research and Analysis

Traditional legal research is time-consuming, often involving hours of sifting through case law, statutes, and legal journals. AI tools, on the other hand, can quickly process and analyze this information, identifying relevant cases and legal precedents in a fraction of the time.

Smokeball partner Briefpoint is legal software that uses AI to help you draft discovery documents faster. Users can upload discovery requests and Briefpoint will suggest responses, saving time and ensuring consistency. As an integration partner, everything accomplished in Briefpoint will sync automatically with your matters in Smokeball.

Additionally, with Smokeball Ask.Ai, you can streamline matter management by answering queries and drafting basic correspondence in real time. It’s like having a personalized AI assistant for your law firm.

"At Lancaster Tech Law, we use technology to drive an efficient legal practice and deliver superior legal services. We're so excited about Smokeball's new AI features, particularly Smokeball Ask.ai. Being able to query a matter, quickly get a summary, and produce first drafts of documents and legal correspondence all from within Smokeball will dramatically simplify document creation and client engagement."

- Brandon Harter, Founder, Lancaster Tech Law

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2. Enhanced Accuracy and Risk Management

Fewer Errors in Legal Documents

Human error is always a potential risk in any manual process, but AI minimizes this by automating the drafting and review of legal documents. Smokeball partner Foundation AI, which provides intelligent document processing for litigation and claims, also integrates with your work in Smokeball. With Foundation AI, you can automatically sort and categorize incoming documents to your firm and then extract the key information you need.

Think of AI as a second set of hands to write drafts faster up front and another set of eyes to review your work afterward. This reduces the likelihood of oversights that could lead to costly legal mistakes. Of course, a human should also be double-checking any output from AI as it can be prone to mistakes or what are called “hallucinations,” which are answers made up by AI when it doesn’t have the right answer.

Earlier Identification of Potential Risks

AI tools enhance a law firm's ability to identify potential risks early on. For example, AI can be used to review contracts and flag clauses that typically lead to disputes, giving lawyers the foresight to address problems proactively. Additionally, AI can monitor changes in legislation and case law to predict how these changes might impact ongoing and future cases. With these insights, law firms can advise clients on the potential risks and come up with strategies to avoid them, positioning your firm as a forward-thinking advisor to clients.

Improved Due Diligence Processes

Meticulously examining all documents and records related to due diligence can be overwhelming. AI can streamline this by scanning, identifying, and extracting relevant information from a multitude of documents in record time. It ensures that nothing is missed during due diligence checks, which is crucial in mergers and acquisitions, litigation, and compliance matters. This allows firms to protect clients from unforeseen liabilities and ensure smoother transactions.

Legalyze, another Smokeball partner, decreases case review time through AI by creating document summaries, answering questions about case documents, and generating documents like discovery questions. Due diligence has never been easier with the right AI tools in place.

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3. Stronger Client Relationships and Service

Providing Deeper Insights and Strategies

By analyzing large datasets and identifying patterns, AI can uncover strategic insights that would be difficult for a human to find in a reasonable timeframe. For instance, when preparing for litigation, AI can predict potential outcomes based on historical data, helping lawyers craft strategies that are informed by data rather than just intuition. Clients benefit from this level of service as it can lead to more favorable outcomes and a better understanding of their legal landscape.

More Time for Client Interaction

With AI handling routine work, lawyers have more capacity to provide personalized attention, understand clients' unique needs, and tailor their services accordingly. The human aspect of legal work is where firms establish trust with their clients and prove their value. This not only improves client satisfaction but also reinforces the relationship between the client and the practice.

Plus, Smokeball AutoTime.Ai can save your firm even more time by automating timesheets and generating tailored descriptions for services billed.

If you’re wondering how AI could impact your billable hours, check out our comprehensive law firm billing guide.

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4. Competitive Advantage and Innovation

Offering Cutting-Edge Legal Solutions

Law firms that utilize AI are often seen as industry leaders, attracting clients who are looking for the most innovative and effective legal services available. In this way, AI not only strengthens a firm's reputation for expertise and innovation but also provides tangible value to clients, cementing the firm's role as a key player in the future of legal services.

Staying Ahead of the Curve

Finally, law firms that are well-versed in AI will be better prepared to adapt to new developments in the legal world, ensuring their continued relevance and success. By embracing AI, law firms are committing to innovation, providing them with a competitive advantage that can translate into increased growth and success.

While AI will never replace the importance of human lawyers, it can be your practice’s secret weapon. From boosting productivity to elevating client service, the benefits of AI in law firms are undeniable. The future of law is intelligent, efficient, and client-centric. Are you ready to be a part of it?

Sign up for Smokeball today and start enjoying the benefits of AI-powered software to manage your legal practice.