The Spruson & Ferguson principal also talks ethical AI use
Last week, Jason Manakis told Australasian Lawyer about how being a patent attorney lets him combine his love for science and technology with his love for language and communication. In the second part of this interview, Manakis shares one of the biggest lessons he’s learned in his career and touches on AI use in the workplace.
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned in my career in law, and which I always impress upon other junior attorneys, is to never be afraid to rely upon the collective experience and intelligence of your colleagues. We often encounter complex issues in our work, and sharing those complex issues with colleagues will almost always result in new and useful perspectives or insights that could lead to providing better and more fulsome advice to our clients. So, don’t be afraid to ask for a second opinion, or for a fresh set of eyes to look over your work. You will seldom be disappointed.
There’s always so much happening at Spruson & Ferguson, which is one of the benefits of working at such a large and resourceful firm. I’m currently part of the Innovation Committee, which is exploring whether and how we might use AI tools to improve overall efficiency and accuracy to produce better outcomes and reduced costs for our clients.
There’s always plenty of things that our profession should continue to focus on and develop. I’m interested to see some developments surrounding ethical AI use in the workplace, including upskilling legal practitioners, ensuring responsible deployment and use of assistive AI tools, and exploration around best practices to ensure fairness, bias minimisation, and job security.
I’m also interested in exploring better ways to use technology and tools to increase overall work efficiency, increase security of client and other confidential data, and provide more flexibility in remote and hybrid working arrangements. Also, there’s more we can do to improve diversity, inclusion, and mental health to ensure that our industry is more supportive and sustainable for everyone.
I’m looking forward to several things over the coming year. I’m excited to see how AI and other new technologies continue to evolve and shape our capabilities and service offerings, and the industry at large. I’m very excited to deepen relationships with our clients, and to continue to explore better ways to assist them in meeting their IP goals. I’m also looking forward training and mentoring our junior attorneys, and exploring other opportunities to ensure my continued learning and development as a young principal.
