The AI company’s NZ lead breaks down a major legal AI misconception
Where legal AI adoption is concerned, Jessica Turner would rather look at market similarities than market differences. She prefers to focus on lessons learned by early legal AI adopters and how the New Zealand market can apply them.
Earlier this week, Turner discussed her approach to the New Zealand market in her capacity as Legora’s New Zealand lead – in the second half of this interview, she tackles a big legal AI misconception and the future of legal AI in New Zealand.
What differentiates New Zealand from the other markets Legora has been operating in?
I think it’s more helpful to focus on what New Zealand firms have in common with their global peers when it comes to adoption of legal AI. There is a genuine focus on how integration of AI will benefit their clients. For all of the firms that we would say are ahead of the AI adoption curve in New Zealand, this question is top of their list.
Another focus is on learnings from early adopters of legal AI that can be applied to the New Zealand market, of which there are many. Legora has just released its inaugural ROI report collecting some of these insights across key indicators including productivity, reduction of non-billable work and write downs, improvements to responsiveness, speed of delivery, and confidence around fixed-fee engagements.
While every market is different, these aspects of the business of law are universal and absolutely apply to firms operating in New Zealand.
What in your opinion is the most common AI-related misconceptions the NZ legal market has, and how would you address it?
Hands down, the biggest misconception is defaulting to talking about efficiencies and cost savings in relation to the use of AI in law. As our VP of legal innovation, Kyle Poe, said in the context of our ROI research, that’s the wrong frame.
Legal AI isn’t about allowing the same work to be done cheaper. It’s enabling higher quality work to be done faster and with greater certainty. The clients of firms that are ahead on the AI adoption curve are experiencing those benefits.
Where do you see the future of legal AI heading in New Zealand?
Globally, right now AI is a competitive advantage for firms that have adopted and integrated it across their workstreams and practice areas. In the near future, we’ll have moved from AI being an advantage to AI adoption becoming an expectation of clients of their law firms. My job is to help NZ firms get ahead of this, and build a competitive advantage through AI adoption.
