When new technologies seem to be replacing human efforts, people are hesitant to adopt the tools. In recent years, we have seen this in the legal world, and legal technologists at firms have alleviated some of those fears by showing how the technology serves particular business needs and adds value. Existing processes might be changed, but generally human interaction is not replaced. For example, when predictive coding first came to market, there was some trepidation from attorneys that a machine could replace the legal analysis and review of documents for purposes of discovery. This fear was misguided, however, and since its introduction, predictive coding has been rebranded to technology-assisted review, and education and knowledge about the actual process has been emphasized. The tools and associated processes can merely help attorneys work more efficiently and smarter, rather than replacing the need for human expertise. In fact, new technology often introduces a demand for people who can adapt to help implement new technologies. Technology-assisted review increased the demand for attorneys or e-discovery project managers familiar with the tools, processes and the skills to implement the solution. There is even a real need for statistical analytical skills, so every lawyer who paid attention in their college statistics class is at an advantage now in understanding technology-assisted review.
The actual technology behind technology-assisted review is not groundbreaking. However, the application to the document review process is novel. In recent months, another existing technology is making its way to practical applications within the law firm: legal reasoning apps.
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