A new suite of AI tools is available to assist lawyers in efficiently developing both the structure and content of written materials. These tools are capable of analyzing text and facilitating seamless translation between sounds, images, and text. By leveraging these tools, lawyers can save valuable working time. This article will examine a variety of AI tools that are worth exploring to determine if they can assist your legal practice.
Artificial intelligence
But first, let’s identify exactly what AI encompasses. The definition of AI from Oxford Languages states that it is “the theory and development of computer systems able to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence, such as visual perception, speech recognition, decision-making, and translation between languages.” Id. Additional abilities of AI include pattern recognition and providing plausible responses to freeform questions.
Writing Prompts
Writing an efficient prompt cannot be overstated for receiving accurate and relevant responses from a generative AI chatbot. Clear and specific prompts help the AI understand your needs better, leading to more precise and useful answers. This not only saves time, but also enhances the accuracy of the response. Suggestions for writing a prompt for the best possible response from generative artificial intelligence should be in the following format:
Act like a [Specify a role],
I need a [What do you need?],
You will [Enter a task],
In the process, you should [Enter details],
Please [Enter exclusion],
Input the final result in a [Select a format],
Here is an example: [Enter an example].
Example:
Act like a [proficient lawyer],
I need a [draft of an email to John Smith],
You will [generate],
In the process, you should [use formal business language and vocabulary and thank John for contacting you and tell him I am interested in meeting with him for a consultation and ask them to bring all the relevant documents they have],
Please [do not tell him I am agreeing to represent him yet],
Input the final result in a [plaintext format],
Here is an example [Enter an example].
AI Tools
A few of the mainstream generative artificial intelligence tools discussed in this article include OpenAI’s Chat GPT, GPT4All, Google’s NotebookLM, and Microsoft’s Copilot. These AI tools can assist lawyers in uploading and analyzing a single or multiple files. They can also create summaries of multiple documents.
Open AI
Open AI’s ChatGPT gives you free access to GPT-3.5. GPT-3.5 assists with writing, problem solving, and more. It also gives you limited access to data analysis, file uploads, vision, web browsing, and custom GPTs. OpenAI’s Plus version costs $20/month. The Plus version gives the user early access to new features including access to GPT-4, GPT-4o and GPT 3.5. Plus users receive up to five times more messages for GPT-4o and also includes access to data analysis, file uploads, vision and web browsing. Finally, the Plus version includes DALLE image generation and allows the user to create and use custom GPTs. Disadvantages include a limitation on the number and size of files, there are no citations in responses, one has to opt out of data gathering, and the responses are not the best quality.
GPT4All
GPT4All is free to use. It is a locally running chatbot meaning it will analyze documents on your local computer (desktop) without being connected to the internet. In other words it runs on an individual's PC, and its responses will only cite the data saved on your computer. Disadvantages of using GPT4All is that it requires an expensive PC, it is difficult to set up, and you have to opt out of data gathering.
Google Notebook LM
Google NotebookLM uses your content that you upload to summarize facts and explain complex topics in the content. Google NotebookLM has the ability to suggest questions and suggest ideas based on your source content. It allows the user to have 100 notebooks available, with each notebook containing 20 sources and 1000 notes, the maximum pdf size of 100 MB or the work limit of 200,000 words. This tool would be excellent to summarize a deposition or a collection of witness depositions.
Microsoft’s Copilots
Microsoft’s Copilots include, among others, Copilot (previously Bing Chat), Copilot Pro, Copilot for Microsoft 365, Copilot + PC and Copilot Studio. Copilot is free and available on the web. It includes access to GPT-4 and GPT-4 Turbo during non-peak times. Copilot will search the web using text, voice, and images. It will create 15 AI images per day. Copilot Pro is a consumer subscription with some app integration. The cost is $20 per month, which gives the user priority access to GPT-4 and GPT-4 Turbo. It allows the user to create AI images and editing for up to 100 boosts per day. Copilot Pro integrates into the core Office apps like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote and Outlook. A custom Copilot Builder is also included. Copilot for Microsoft 365 is for 365 Business Standard or Business Premium customers with additional app integration. The cost is $30 per month and it has all features of Copilot Pro plus Copilot for Teams. It also adds a chatbot interface to more office apps and integrates data from across your organization. The user has the ability to chat with Copilot about data in your particular organization. Copilot for Word drafts within Word. It can summarize or interrogate an existing document.
Other alternatives
There are alternatives to the above AI tools. A few of them include Gamma.app, Canva.ai, Grammarly Pro, Claude.AI, and ChatPDF and are worth trying.
Collaboration
A few AI tools for collaboration include Zoom and Teams. Zoom AI creates better meetings and has recording, transcribing, and translating capabilities, as well as meeting summaries. The same features are included in Microsoft’s Teams.
Legal research
Free legal research apps include Paxton.ai and descrybe.ai. The traditional legal research platforms (Lexis, vLex, Westlaw) each have their own AI legal research tools at a premium price.
Multimedia and translation
Multimedia AI tools can perform a variety of tasks including content creation for email marketing campaigns. They can also process large amounts of data, create video and audio and transcribe voice recordings into text. A few worth trying include Opus Clip, HeyGen, Astica AI, and Envision App. Opus Clip adjusts video clips for ratios, detecting speakers and moving objects for optimal presentation. It will identify the most compelling parts of the video, extract the highlights and rearrange them into a comprehensive viral video. HeyGen will produce videos with AI generated avatars and voices. Astica AI’s bot will automatically tag images the user identifies such as objects, faces, etc. It will also generate photorealistic images, create human voices to speak or read text, and transcribe words and recorded audio into text. Envision App is a free app that uses a smartphone camera to speak out written information, or describe surroundings and objects. The user can type or orally ask any question about an image or text.
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This article was inspired and contents derived from the presentation Practical Tech Tips - AI Edition, by Dave Pantzer and C. Leland Simpson, as part of the MSBA’s 2024 Legal Summit in Ocean City.
Dave Pantzer serves as deputy director of the Maryland Legal Services Corporation. Dave was formerly a civil litigator at Simms, Showers LLP; a past chair of the MSBA Section on Delivery of Legal Services; and a member of the legal studies faculty at Towson University. He clerked for the Honorable Michael J. Stamm in St. Mary’s County after graduating from the University of Maryland School of Law. Dave received a 2020 Leadership in Law award from the Daily Record, and the 2016 Legal Excellence Award for Advancement of Public Understanding of the Law from the Maryland Bar Foundation.
C. Leland (Lee) Sampson is an attorney and Head of Web Content and Services at the Thurgood Marshall State Law Library, a court-related agency of the Maryland Judiciary. Lee is also the director of the People’s Law Library - a legal information and self-help website maintained by the Thurgood Marshall State Law Library. In 2015, Lee graduated from the University of Maryland, Francis King Carey School of Law, Cum Laude.