Fabulous start our multi month roll out of the Centre for Legal Innovation's Generative AI (GAI) Roundtables with this session with corporate in-house counsel.
While the common factor here was that we are in the early stages of GAI/ChatGPT application/use, it was also very clear that in-house counsel already see the possibilities and are thinking about the impact not just on their own work/roles but how, when and who they will engage as outside counsel too.
Huge thanks to Schellie-Jayne Price for facilitating this session for us on 23 March 2023 and to our amazing contributors for the fabulous, candid, and super practical discussion.
TEN big takeaways for me:
- We're still in the early review stage as opposed to adoption of GAI but, it's moving quickly.
- ChatGPT is already emerging as a helpful and time saving tool - things like first drafts, summaries, short blog posts (no, I didn't use it here!), FAQs, short letters, simple forms of long docs, and jargon to plain language conversion but, accuracy is an issue so the overlay of legal knowledge/experience remains critical.
- In addition to the outputs, in-house counsel will need to explain to the internal business (client) how and why the legal department uses e.g., ChatGPT and, likewise for outside counsel, they will need to explain this to their in-house counsel clients AND pass on cost savings!
- It's important to know when to use and not use GAI. For example, having ChatGPT construct a message, no matter how good or accurate, just doesn't feel right when the main focus is on our humanity.
- GAI is already changing expectations around the speed of service delivery.
- Chatting about all things ChatGPT has created an opportunity to COLLABORATIVELY rethink work e.g. what roles will combine; where should the work go (or stay) in-house, with outside counsel, with tech providers, with solution providers - a new combination of options!
- Legal can't be the outlier or the slowest to adopt GAI in the business.
- There are real opportunities here for early career lawyers and NewLaw careerists to lead the way and/or provide reverse mentoring.
- A number of GAI products are emerging: Allen & Overy's Harvey, Casetext's CoCounsel and Microsoft's 365 Copilot...watch this space!
- GAI is about change and change for many = stress - it's important that we don't forget that and continue to manage it!
Sooo much more to come – can’t wait!
About the Author
Terri Mottershead is the Executive Director of the Centre for Legal Innovation (Australia, New Zealand and Asia-Pacific) (CLI) at The College of Law. Terri collaborates internationally with leaders of legal businesses supporting them in identifying trends, developing strategies, and transforming their capabilities and practices to deliver legal services/products in the new legal ecosystem. She is the instigator, designer and developer in chief of CLI’s global initiatives, networks and programs including the Legalpreneurs Lab and its podcast series, The Legalpreneurs Sandbox. Prior to joining CLI, Terri was a practising lawyer, founded start-ups on three different continents, and established or led the in-house talent management departments for global firms and associations in Asia and the US including Lex Mundi, the Inter-Pacific Bar Association (IPBA) and DLA Piper LLP (US).