Technology is increases in reach, power, and simplicity. How should law firms be reacting to tools that can do some of the work traditional done by lawyers? Joshua Lenon explores this question in his talk for MIT MediaLab's first ever Legal Science Salon.

1. What Happens When
Robots Join Law Firms
Joshua Lenon
Lawyer-in-Residence
Clio

2. JUDGMENT DAY

3. The robot takeover has
already happened.

4. Computer Prices 2005+
0.0#
20.0#
40.0#
60.0#
80.0#
100.0#
120.0#
140.0#
160.0#
180.0#
2005# 2006# 2007# 2008# 2009# 2010# 2011# 2012# 2013# 2014#
From#the#Bureau#of#Labor#Sta;s;cs’#Consumer#Price#Index#–#pulled#03/11/2014#

5. Legal Service Prices 2005+
0.0#
50.0#
100.0#
150.0#
200.0#
250.0#
2005# 2006# 2007# 2008# 2009# 2010# 2011# 2012# 2013# 2014#
From#the#Bureau#of#Labor#Sta;s;cs’#Producer#Price#Index#J#Legal#Services#–#pulled#03/11/2014#

6. Compared Prices 2005+
0.0#
50.0#
100.0#
150.0#
200.0#
250.0#
2005# 2006# 2007# 2008# 2009# 2010# 2011# 2012# 2013# 2014#
Computer#
Legal#
From#the#Bureau#of#Labor#Sta;s;cs##–#pulled#03/11/2014#

7. It is now cheaper to
program a computer
than hire a
professional lawyer.

8. Why does this matter?

9. Constant Information Growth
• Number of Treaties on File with the UN: 550
• Number of Pages in the U.S.C.A: 200,000
• Number of Federal Court Civil Cases Filed
Last Year: 271,950
• Number of Federal Court Civil Cases
Terminated: 254,619.

10. Constant Information Change
J20%#
J15%#
J10%#
J5%#
0%#
5%#
10%#
15%#
20%#
25%#
60000#
65000#
70000#
75000#
80000#
85000#
2005# 2006# 2007# 2008# 2009# 2010# 2011# 2012#
FR#Pages# %#Increase#
Source:#Federal#Register#Pages#Published#1936J2012#

11. Rapid changes in law
affect every part
of our lives.

12. It has become impossible
for legal professionals to know
every relevant aspect
of the law

13. It is possible
for computers to know every
relevant aspect
of the law

14. THE FIRST SHOT

15. Legal is not the only
knowledge sector
growing.

16. Medical Information is Exploding
• Journal articles published last year:
1,113,989
• Pharmaceutical trials undergone: 162,866
• Malpractice cases payouts 2012: 12,142

17. IBM Watson
Mines:
• patient data
• treatment
guidelines
• Eletronic
medical data
• Doctor’s notes
• Clinical
studies
Medical’s Solution

18. Leveraging Increasing Powerful,
Increasing Cheap
Computer Processing Power
0#
100#
200#
300#
400#
500#
600#
2005# 2006# 2007# 2008# 2009# 2010# 2011# 2012# 2013# 2014#

19. Technology allows medicine to
predict and react from an
informed position.

20. ROBOT INVASION

21. Technology should allow
lawyers to predict and react
from an informed position.

22. Personal Processing Power Cannot
Compete on Price or Power
0#
100#
200#
300#
400#
500#
600#
2005# 2006# 2007# 2008# 2009# 2010# 2011# 2012# 2013# 2014#
CPU#
Mind#
Computer#
Legal#
From#the#Bureau#of#Labor#Sta;s;cs##–#pulled#03/11/2014#

23. Technology to React
• Many services already issue alerts to
changes in law, like Fastcase’s Bad Law Bot

24. Fewer robotic services exist
that predict legal outcomes
from the basis of expansive
information.

25. Predictive robotic services
require construction by
specialized professionals

26. Robot Invasion
• Expert Trusted
Advisor
• Enhanced
Practitioner
• Legal
Knowledge
Engineer
• Legal Process
Analyst
• Legal Risk
Manager

27. Some predictive legal robots
are already emerging.

31. Predict Rather Than React
Source:#Neota#Logic#

32. Neota Logic’s
Family &
Medical Leave
Robot
• Rules:
– Family Medical Leave Act
– State Law
• Factual Variations: 15m
• Questions Asked: 16-25
• Time: 2-6 minutes
User: Corporate
Managers
Source:#Neota#Logic#

33. Neota Logic’s
EU Collateral
Directive Robot
• Rules:
– 21 jurisdictions
– 93 types of financial
obligations
– 10 forms of agreement
– 4 types of collateral
– 11 types of counterparties
– 16 types of financial
institutions
• Factual Variations: 13m
• Questions Asked: 8-12
• Time: 1 minute
User: Lawyers
Source:#Neota#Logic#

34. Using Robots Saves
Firms Money
Embracing
technology has
reduced the costs
of producing
bound volumes by
60% and time to
dispatch by 80%.
Source:#Applying#Con;nuous#Improvement#to#highJend#legal#services,#Clifford#Chance#2014#

35. POST-INVASION

36. It is cheaper to program a
computer than to hire a lawyer

37. Because of this, many changes
are happening
in the legal sphere

38. Reduced Territory
Since 2010, more than 20 law firms in
Washington, DC have reduced their office
space.
• Contracted 270,000 Square Feet
• Backend operations moved out of town
Source:#Washington#Post,#March#11,#2014#

39. Reduced Population
Applications to law school have dropped 20%
since 2008
Of those students completing law school in
2012, only 56% had long-term, full-time jobs
that required Bar passage – i.e. lawyers
Law firms are shedding non-professional staff
Source:#American#Bar#Assoc.#Sec;on#of#Legal#Educa;on#2012#Law#Graduate#Employment#Data#

40. Reduced Trade
• Business steering work away from law firms
– In-house legal departments hiring technology
vendors over law firms for discovery
• Consumers unable to afford traditional legal
services
– Average person must work 7-10 hours to pay for
1 hour of lawyer’s time
Source:#Gartner#Legal#IT#2020#Scenario##
#

41. CONCLUSION

42. Robots will not replace Lawyers
Robots WILL do the work of many traditional
lawyer duties, like e-discovery & compliance,
taking some business and driving efficiencies
Law firms that embrace robot colleagues will
have a competitive advantage
Lawyers that can build robots will be in
demand

43. Thank You
Joshua Lenon
joshua@goclio.com
@JoshuaLenon
Linkedin.com/in/joshualenon

44. Image#by#Richard#Stevens,#creator#of#Diesel#Swee;es,#used#without#permission.##