Martha Louks, director of technology services, McDermott Will & Emery Martha Louks, director of technology services, McDermott Will & Emery. Courtesy photo.
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At this point, many law firms know that artificial intelligence-powered tools can aid in common tasks. But actually applying these tools to the task correctly, and getting buy-in from the organization, isn't guaranteed. Those who have worked with AI tools on a regular basis know that the "hype" of AI as a catch-all solution isn't all it's cracked up to be, and that while these tools can ultimately be rewarding, they're not without work.

As part of the run-up to Legalweek 2020, Legaltech News is chatting with a number of speakers from this year's sessions to know. Today's Q&A is with Martha Louks, director of technology services at McDermott Will & Emery. Her LegalCIO session "Moving Beyond All the AI Hype" will take place on Tuesday, February 4 at 1:30 p.m.

Legaltech News: What do you think legal tech looks like in 10 years?

Martha Louks: What will be the biggest opportunities and challenges? I'm confident we'll see greater and greater adoption of technologies that serve a variety of purposes, and the tools will certainly be more sophisticated in 10 years.

While I obviously can't predict the future, I think legal tech will become a core piece of law firm business models and a differentiator for the firms that are ahead of the curve in integrating technology creatively into their operations and service delivery. The biggest challenge is going to be figuring out what that looks like and adapting to changes in an industry that is resistant to change.

What is the biggest misconception you think still persists about legal technology?

The biggest misconception I see out there is the expectation of perfection and that legal technology is only worth using if we know for sure the results will perfect. No software is going to deliver perfect results—it's just not possible—but that doesn't mean it's not worth using!

What do you see as the most practical applications of AI tools in today's firms?

There are so many opportunities for practical application of AI, and the one that is the most impactful will certainly depend on the specific needs of the organization. If I had to pick one, I think the most practical, and potentially the most valuable, application of AI in a modern law firm is in the area of knowledge management.

Firms are sitting on a wealth of data that is difficult to search and use efficiently without advanced technologies. AI offers an opportunity to alleviate some of these challenges, making it easier to find important information quickly, classify data for specific purposes, retain institutional knowledge, and gain insights from the data that may not have been possible without technology.

Generally speaking, when vendors come to you, do you feel they're accurately describing tools' AI capabilities? Do people tend to overhype, or perhaps even underhype?

For several years, I felt like people tended to overhype the technology a bit, but not to the point where they were inaccurately describing a tool's capabilities. We work in an industry filled with skeptical, risk-averse people, and I think vendors may have highlighted the advantages of AI so strongly to convince people to use it that they inadvertently set expectations too high.

People can come away from that believing AI is a magical solution that will be instantaneous and perfectly accurate, and it simply isn't. There is still work involved—the technology will not do everything—and there are limitations in any process or product.

What is the most difficult aspect of implementing an AI tool today? Is it technology/integration related, or people (buy-in/change management) related?

Getting buy-in is crucial and can be difficult, because you need to get many people on board for a solution to be effective. Time is the most valuable thing at a law firm, and attorneys don't have a lot of it, but they need to be involved in certain aspects of choosing and implementing a tool.

It's not just a matter of picking a technology and installing it. You have to build models, which takes time. People need training, which takes time. The learning curve takes time. And then there is the natural resistance to technology that some folks have. There's definitely some work involved in articulating the value of a tool in a compelling yet realistic way!

I feel fortunate to work at McDermott, because the firm is committed to technology-focused solutions and we have attorneys willing and eager to work with us to build out new solutions.

What do you hope attendees take away from your Legalweek session?

Even though there has been hype about AI, my belief is that there are fewer people utilizing it than we think. I hope attendees come away from the session understanding that, hyperbole aside, there are very real and important benefits to AI and a lot of different ways you can incorporate technology into your practice. We'll be talking about our hands on experiences with AI and how we have incorporated it into our business models.