Anthropic's Claude Gets High Marks in High Places in Legal Sector - Lawyers at All Levels Have to Rethink How-To of Employment Security/Mobility

 The good news is that Claude, created by AI player Anthropic, is producing amazing results for those in the legal sector. 

In the cheering section is US Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan. She cites it for its performance with complex constitutional issues. On LinkedIn, high-profile posters also rate it high among the AI bots for lawyers. One even ranks it the highest. That includes its crisp presentation of data. 

So, that means, sure, as we already know, that there have to be watchdogs for accuracy and editors for an engaging but non-wordy read. But, also now we are finding out that this is a tool the legal community can integrate into its processes - and enhance their brands. 

As clients demand that it's incorporated into how the assignment will be managed, those law firms will have the edge in business development if they are far along in the learning curve on the application of AI. 

Currently those so situated are getting that kind of story out. In a sense a level playing field can be created among firms of all sizes. You are ahead-of-the-curve in AI? What a marketing pitch that is. David can overtake behind-the-curve Goliath. Meanwhile, no fools, some large law firms are scrambling to acquire AI companies. 

Simultaneously there is the bad news for individual lawyers. Not only straightforward matters such as document review and simple contacts can be handled by AI bots. So can higher-value ones. Already A&O Shearman, along with Harvey, developed an app which handles partner-level analysis in practices ranging from antitrust to cybersecurity. 

The implications for employment of all lawyers should alarm. Recall how online service LegalZoom wiped out myriad types of Main Street lawyers who handled routine legal matters for individuals. Later, it expanded its services to small businesses. Will SCOTUS Justices be hiring more AI robots and fewer human clerks? 

Of course, there will always be a need for lawyers to strategically plan and review the operations of generative AI. But much fewer of those will be on-board than the usual pile-on of legal talent parachuted into an assignment. The analogy is the direction content-creation has taken. There are the content strategists and the editors collaborating with AI. They number fewer than the myriad full-time creators and freelancers who used to be in the loop. This week a former content-creator announced on LinkedIn passing one of the licensing exams for a career selling financial products. 

Those in fear might block out warnings. It was not so recent that Paul Weiss chair Brad Karp projected that some associate positions could be eliminated by AI. In addition, he envisioned more services, as with LegalZoom, becoming commodities. Yes, there are complex M&A transactions, managing new wrinkles and whatevers. But there are many less-complex ones that can be handled with AI. Karp also added that the firm will be hiring more data scientists and technologists. 

In coaching, I inform job searchers that a growing number of employers are including advanced generative AI knowledge and experience in the description of the open position. An object lesson is that The New York Times almost collapsed as a business when it didn't recognize digital as a game-changer. LOL, print journalists and digital ones were housed in different locations. Then The Times had its ah-ha moment ... 

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