{"id":133391,"date":"2025-09-16T09:08:50","date_gmt":"2025-09-16T17:08:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/2025\/09\/16\/lawyering-in-the-age-of-ai-why-artificial-intelligence-might-make-lawyers-more-human\/"},"modified":"2025-09-16T09:08:50","modified_gmt":"2025-09-16T17:08:50","slug":"lawyering-in-the-age-of-ai-why-artificial-intelligence-might-make-lawyers-more-human","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/2025\/09\/16\/lawyering-in-the-age-of-ai-why-artificial-intelligence-might-make-lawyers-more-human\/","title":{"rendered":"Lawyering In The Age Of AI: Why Artificial Intelligence Might Make Lawyers More Human"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We\u2019ve all lost count of the times we\u2019ve received an email, policy, or memo from a lawyer so \u201cwell written\u201d that nobody understands it. It\u2019s frustrating, and you want to write back: \u201cGreat legal summary \u2014 I have no idea what it means.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Unfortunately, that\u2019s often how legal communications are received by business colleagues and stakeholders: overly complicated, needlessly formal, and disconnected from everyday business needs \u2014 not human.<\/p>\n

For too long, the legal profession has equated complexity with competence. Contracts, memos, and policies packed with dense language and archaic legalese \u2014 complete with exhaustive footnotes \u2014 have been seen as hallmarks of legal skill.<\/p>\n

AI Is Reshaping How Lawyers Think And Communicate<\/strong><\/p>\n

But in the age of artificial intelligence, that might finally change \u2014 and not in the way most fear.<\/p>\n

Yes, AI is advancing quickly. Tools like Harvey, Spellbook, and Lex Machina are already transforming how lawyers research, draft, and analyze. But here\u2019s the irony: instead of turning lawyers into robots, AI may actually free them to become more human.<\/p>\n

AI is already adept at doing what law school trained us to do \u2014 identifying risks, spotting issues, and referencing precedent. What it\u2019s not good at is nuance, trust, or judgment \u2014 skills that define great lawyering.<\/p>\n

When AI handles some of the drudgery \u2014 like contract clause spotting and formatting \u2014 it gives us something precious back: time. That time forces lawyers to stop hiding behind legalese and impractical analysis. It allows \u2014 and even demands \u2014 that we communicate like leaders.<\/p>\n

Imagine walking into a business meeting and, instead of delivering a 20-page memo, offering a single slide with a recommendation tied directly to company goals. That\u2019s not just good lawyering; that\u2019s leadership. And AI may be the catalyst that gets us there.<\/p>\n

Businesses Don\u2019t Pay By The Word \u2014 Or The Footnote<\/strong><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s be honest: business leaders aren\u2019t impressed by lengthy legal analysis. They want clarity, direction, and advice aligned with business objectives. They\u2019re not paying for academic thoroughness; they\u2019re paying for actionable answers.<\/p>\n

Yet for years, many lawyers have responded to this demand by doubling down on complexity. The prevailing belief has been that the longer and more technical the memo, the more valuable the advice. Legal teams often conflate precision with exhaustiveness, thinking that covering every possibility makes advice more defensible.<\/p>\n

The truth? This approach doesn\u2019t instill confidence. It does the opposite \u2014 it slows decision-making and alienates colleagues.<\/p>\n

AI changes the game. When generative tools can translate clauses into plain English, the old value proposition of complexity begins to crumble. The playing field shifts \u2014 from who can analyze the most thoroughly to who can communicate the most clearly.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s not a threat. It\u2019s an opportunity \u2014 one for lawyers to become better partners to the business by focusing on what matters most: sound judgment delivered in plain language.<\/p>\n

The Most Human Skills Are Now the Most Valuable<\/strong><\/p>\n

It turns out the skills business leaders have always wanted \u2014 judgment, prioritization, and practical legal analysis \u2014 are the same ones AI can\u2019t replicate. The future of law isn\u2019t about replacing lawyers; it\u2019s about elevating them.<\/p>\n

We may soon see a world where lawyers are no longer rewarded for how much they can write but for the value of their advice. It won\u2019t be the lawyer who analyzes every nuance and every possible scenario who adds the most value. It will be the lawyer who drills issues down to their simplest terms, describes and assesses risk, and recommends a course of action aligned with business objectives and risk tolerance.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s the lawyer\u2019s job to use AI-generated resources and leverage them into thoughtful, human legal analysis.<\/p>\n

If that happens, AI won\u2019t dehumanize the legal profession. It will bring us back to what lawyering should have always been a value-added business resource.<\/p>\n

\n

Lisa Lang is an accomplished in-house lawyer and thought leader dedicated to empowering fellow legal professionals.\u00a0She offers insights and resources tailored for in-house counsel through her website and blog, Why This, Not That\u2122 (<\/em><\/strong>www.lawyerlisalang.com<\/em><\/strong><\/a>). Lisa actively engages with the legal community via LinkedIn, sharing her expertise and fostering meaningful connections. You can reach her at <\/em><\/strong>lisa@lawyerlisalang.com<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, connect on LinkedIn (<\/em><\/strong>https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/lawyerlisalang\/<\/em><\/strong><\/a>).<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Joshua Horenstein has an extensive background in executive leadership and HR\/legal\/facilities\/regulatory management.\u00a0He is Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Chief Human Resources Officer at Innophos Holdings, Inc., an international specialty ingredient and chemical manufacturer.\u00a0 At Innophos, Josh is responsible for all human resources, legal, corporate facilities and regulatory matters worldwide for the company. Prior to joining Innophos, Josh practiced law at several leading law firms in the Philadelphia metro area and was Vice President and Chief Legal Officer at Rock Your Phone, Inc.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The post Lawyering In The Age Of AI: Why Artificial Intelligence Might Make Lawyers More Human<\/a> appeared first on Above the Law<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We\u2019ve all lost count of the times we\u2019ve received an email, policy, or memo from a lawyer so \u201cwell written\u201d that nobody understands it. It\u2019s frustrating, and you want to write back: \u201cGreat legal summary \u2014 I have no idea what it means.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Unfortunately, that\u2019s often how legal communications are received by business colleagues and stakeholders: overly complicated, needlessly formal, and disconnected from everyday business needs \u2014 not human.<\/p>\n

For too long, the legal profession has equated complexity with competence. Contracts, memos, and policies packed with dense language and archaic legalese \u2014 complete with exhaustive footnotes \u2014 have been seen as hallmarks of legal skill.<\/p>\n

AI Is Reshaping How Lawyers Think And Communicate<\/strong><\/p>\n

But in the age of artificial intelligence, that might finally change \u2014 and not in the way most fear.<\/p>\n

Yes, AI is advancing quickly. Tools like Harvey, Spellbook, and Lex Machina are already transforming how lawyers research, draft, and analyze. But here\u2019s the irony: instead of turning lawyers into robots, AI may actually free them to become more human.<\/p>\n

AI is already adept at doing what law school trained us to do \u2014 identifying risks, spotting issues, and referencing precedent. What it\u2019s not good at is nuance, trust, or judgment \u2014 skills that define great lawyering.<\/p>\n

When AI handles some of the drudgery \u2014 like contract clause spotting and formatting \u2014 it gives us something precious back: time. That time forces lawyers to stop hiding behind legalese and impractical analysis. It allows \u2014 and even demands \u2014 that we communicate like leaders.<\/p>\n

Imagine walking into a business meeting and, instead of delivering a 20-page memo, offering a single slide with a recommendation tied directly to company goals. That\u2019s not just good lawyering; that\u2019s leadership. And AI may be the catalyst that gets us there.<\/p>\n

Businesses Don\u2019t Pay By The Word \u2014 Or The Footnote<\/strong><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s be honest: business leaders aren\u2019t impressed by lengthy legal analysis. They want clarity, direction, and advice aligned with business objectives. They\u2019re not paying for academic thoroughness; they\u2019re paying for actionable answers.<\/p>\n

Yet for years, many lawyers have responded to this demand by doubling down on complexity. The prevailing belief has been that the longer and more technical the memo, the more valuable the advice. Legal teams often conflate precision with exhaustiveness, thinking that covering every possibility makes advice more defensible.<\/p>\n

The truth? This approach doesn\u2019t instill confidence. It does the opposite \u2014 it slows decision-making and alienates colleagues.<\/p>\n

AI changes the game. When generative tools can translate clauses into plain English, the old value proposition of complexity begins to crumble. The playing field shifts \u2014 from who can analyze the most thoroughly to who can communicate the most clearly.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s not a threat. It\u2019s an opportunity \u2014 one for lawyers to become better partners to the business by focusing on what matters most: sound judgment delivered in plain language.<\/p>\n

The Most Human Skills Are Now the Most Valuable<\/strong><\/p>\n

It turns out the skills business leaders have always wanted \u2014 judgment, prioritization, and practical legal analysis \u2014 are the same ones AI can\u2019t replicate. The future of law isn\u2019t about replacing lawyers; it\u2019s about elevating them.<\/p>\n

We may soon see a world where lawyers are no longer rewarded for how much they can write but for the value of their advice. It won\u2019t be the lawyer who analyzes every nuance and every possible scenario who adds the most value. It will be the lawyer who drills issues down to their simplest terms, describes and assesses risk, and recommends a course of action aligned with business objectives and risk tolerance.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s the lawyer\u2019s job to use AI-generated resources and leverage them into thoughtful, human legal analysis.<\/p>\n

If that happens, AI won\u2019t dehumanize the legal profession. It will bring us back to what lawyering should have always been a value-added business resource.<\/p>\n

\n

Lisa Lang is an accomplished in-house lawyer and thought leader dedicated to empowering fellow legal professionals.\u00a0She offers insights and resources tailored for in-house counsel through her website and blog, Why This, Not That\u2122 (<\/em><\/strong>www.lawyerlisalang.com<\/em><\/strong><\/a>). Lisa actively engages with the legal community via LinkedIn, sharing her expertise and fostering meaningful connections. You can reach her at <\/em><\/strong>[email\u00a0protected]<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, connect on LinkedIn (<\/em><\/strong>https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/lawyerlisalang\/<\/em><\/strong><\/a>).<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Joshua Horenstein has an extensive background in executive leadership and HR\/legal\/facilities\/regulatory management.\u00a0He is Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Chief Human Resources Officer at Innophos Holdings, Inc., an international specialty ingredient and chemical manufacturer.\u00a0 At Innophos, Josh is responsible for all human resources, legal, corporate facilities and regulatory matters worldwide for the company. Prior to joining Innophos, Josh practiced law at several leading law firms in the Philadelphia metro area and was Vice President and Chief Legal Officer at Rock Your Phone, Inc.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We\u2019ve all lost count of the times we\u2019ve received an email, policy, or memo from a lawyer so \u201cwell written\u201d that nobody understands it. It\u2019s frustrating, and you want to write back: \u201cGreat legal summary \u2014 I have no idea what it means.\u201d Unfortunately, that\u2019s often how legal communications are received by business colleagues and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":133382,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-133391","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-above_the_law"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/xira.com\/p\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Law2020-Ethical-Implications-of-Artificial-Intelligence-l3zuip.jpg?fit=2120%2C680&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/133391","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=133391"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/133391\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/133382"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=133391"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=133391"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=133391"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}