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Junior lawyers will be ‘significantly replaced’ by technologists and data scientists, Paul Weiss boss predicts

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By Rhys Duncan on

16

Top lawyer foresees shifting roles in new tech-driven legal world


The chair of US law firm Paul Weiss predicts that junior associates will be “supplemented, if not significantly replaced”, by technologists and data scientists in the years to come.

Brad Karp made the eye-catching comment whilst speaking about the firms bumper financial results, which have seen revenue jump by 31.6% to $2.63 billion (£2.09 billion), with its average profits per equity partner increasing by 14.7% to $7.51 million (£5.95 million).

Karp told website Law.com (£) that this growth has been driven by the firm investing “hundreds of millions” across the board, he said, including into artificial intelligence (AI). This includes partners, technologists and other staff members focussed on adapting, testing, and deploying AI tech.

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“We are currently using cutting-edge AI tools, in close collaboration with our clients, to facilitate document analysis and extraction, synthesise complex documents and agreements, automate legal and non-legal drafting, enhance legal research and increase work-flow efficiency,” Karp said. “This new tech will impact the firm’s hiring, billable hours, leverage, and client service and spend.”

Karp then made a bold prediction about the future of lawyer roles in a tech-driven legal world.

“Over time, I believe we will see junior associates supplemented, if not significantly replaced, by technologists and data scientists for a broad portfolio of projects. We will see more and more work come to be characterised as commoditised and increasingly be handled by AI technologists and data scientists, under the supervision of lawyers”

16 Comments

Computer says no, and I agree

The headline sounds insane, but the full quote is more reasonable. Lawyers will become the box tickers we wish we were: AI takes an input and runs its formulae, produces an output and some qualified individual will sign off on it.

If clients think we are billing any less though, they have another thing coming.

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(40)(2)

Paper monkey

Assuming the clients aren’t intelligent enough to tick boxes themselves / bypass the middle men called “lawyers”

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(8)(3)

Computer says no, and I disagree

Some will, but I think many will still expect the lawyers on their panels to do the bulk of the work as they will have better access to tools, have the specialist skillsets they need, and frankly for some things they need outside counsel (eg opinions).

If anything it might mean in-house teams become even leaner where they do have access to AI tools.

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(4)(0)

Finally the truth

All AI needs now is some fine-tuning before being able to replace the vast majority of paper pushers. Humanities and law students are nowhere as smart or intelligent as the average programmer to put it kindly.

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(9)(48)

Jumbo Jet

Until it comes to actually interacting with people and not becoming a serial killer who watches illegal pornography

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(24)(0)

Anonymous

Though I’m a law student myself, I couldn’t agree with you more. A lot of law and humanities students will be butthurt but I’ve come across far too many “know-it-all’s” when they hardly know anything at all. Until law students face the truth, this industry cannot progress. Anyone who does not understand how to operate AI systems in particular LLM’s, will fall exceedingly behind those who do have the experience and knowledge. This also goes, to a lesser extent, for those who also do not know how to code. Accept it, and do something about it, or fall far behind my friends.

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(8)(17)

Barrister

Why in earth would a lawyer need to be able to write code? There are code-fact rues in India and even cheaper countries to do that. The skills for the future are people-based and creative, for which arts students have a head start.

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(2)(1)

Zawad

Though I’m a law student myself, currently studying the bar, I couldn’t agree with you more. A lot of law and humanities students will be butthurt but I’ve come across far too many “know-it-all’s” when they hardly know anything at all. Until law students face the truth, this industry cannot progress. Anyone who does not understand how to operate AI systems in particular LLM’s, will fall exceedingly behind those who do have the experience and knowledge. This also goes, to a lesser extent, for those who also do not know how to code. Accept it, and do something about it, or fall far behind my friends.

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(4)(8)

Cessle

Hasn’t stopped you replicating the same post.

Reply Report comment
(30)(1)

Zawad

1) It was an error. I didn’t notice until you said.

2) You clearly fall under the butthurt I was referring to, and so are all those who liked your comment and will dislike this comment.

Reply Report comment
(1)(10)

Barrister

Au contraire, humanities students are trained how to analyse, research, think logically and most importantly, to communicate ideas and have original thoughts. I speak 3 languages, none of them are computer languages. There are programmers as cheap as chips everywhere now. Those who are articulate and imaginative are the people we will need in the future, not programming grunts.

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(8)(0)

Barrister

Au contraire, humanities students are trained how to analyse, research, think logically and most importantly, to communicate ideas and have original thoughts. I speak 3 languages, none of them are computer languages. Those who are articulate and imaginative are the people we will need in the future, not programming grunts.

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(0)(1)

LOL

That’s why they are on a hiring spree, makes total sense now.

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(1)(0)

Leopard

“We are currently using cutting-edge AI tools, in close collaboration with our clients, to facilitate document analysis and extraction, synthesise complex documents and agreements, automate legal and non-legal drafting, enhance legal research and increase work-flow efficiency,” Karp said.

No you are not. Literally none of that is happening at Paul, Weiss.

Reply Report comment
(23)(0)

Mark

The fun thing is, AI will create a lot of NEW issues that do not exist currently, and junior Attorneys will ne necessary to work through those situations. They said the same about computers, the internet, and any other innovation. Law Schools will need to adapt to the changing landscape, as will every industry.

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(2)(0)

Mary Ostern

The main point here is AI cannot replicate the creativity of the human brain. It is only as good as its programmed to be and it misses a lot. It is a very useful tool to draw conclusions from facts, create links to information that may be overlooked and generally improve productivity. But AI is not the beginning of creativity. It is the end of it if used improperly. I believe what Paul Weiss did with Trump is immoral. He was bribed by Trump. I don’t care how good the firm
was prior to the bribe. If we had a democracy it would be censured for taking a bribe. But corruption and revenge is the hallmark of Trump 2025. I haven’t seen one person with the guts to mention that.

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(1)(0)

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