Embracing AI Technology in Legal Practice: A New Zealand Barrister’s Guide

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The legal sector in New Zealand, like many other industries, is experiencing rapid technological change. One key development is the rise of generative AI, which has the potential to significantly enhance the way barristers work by improving efficiency and productivity. This advanced AI technology, especially in language processing, allows barristers to manage and execute their tasks with greater ease. Rather than replacing human expertise, AI acts as a powerful tool that supports legal professionals in their daily practice.

In this guide, we’ll explore the key benefits of integrating generative AI into legal practice, as well as important considerations barristers should keep in mind. While the potential benefits of AI are clear, it’s essential to approach this innovation thoughtfully and strategically.

The Role of AI in Legal Practice

AI has become a significant force in the legal world, especially in areas where language is central, such as case analysis and document drafting. Some barristers may be sceptical about the hype surrounding AI, but its relevance is undeniable. The legal profession has seen various tech advancements in recent years, and generative AI is the latest wave of innovation poised to make a meaningful impact.

Why Use Specialised Legal AI Models Over Generic AI?

While popular AI tools like ChatGPT or CoPilot are useful in general applications, they often fall short when it comes to legal-specific tasks. Generic

AI models lack the legal training and safeguards necessary for the accuracy required in legal settings.

The practice of law requires a deep understanding of nuanced language and complex reasoning, both of which are areas where legally trained AI models excel. These models, tailored to legal use, are specifically designed to handle the unique challenges of the profession. For example, Lexis+ AI™ only pulls information from trusted legal sources, offering more reliable results than general models, which rely on broader internet data that may be outdated or incomplete.

Key Considerations for Using AI in Legal Work

Integrating generative AI into legal practice can save barristers considerable time, but it’s important to recognise that AI will not—and should not—replace the expertise and judgement of a seasoned barrister. Clients expect their cases to reflect a barrister’s independent skill and knowledge, and AI should be used as a tool to supplement, not replace, legal expertise.

When using AI tools, the final work product must be:

• Based on independent legal judgement

• Reviewed and edited as necessary

• Supported by thorough research and expertise

Moreover, understanding the limitations of AI is crucial. As AI becomes more common in legal work, regulatory bodies in New Zealand may introduce guidelines to ensure its ethical use, similar to those already in place in other jurisdictions like Australia.

How to Maximise AI’s Potential: Effective Prompting

For barristers looking to make the most of generative AI, learning how to craft effective prompts is essential. Prompt engineering is key to getting accurate and useful responses from AI systems.

Here are three important factors to consider when writing prompts for legal AI:

Clarity: Ensure your prompts are straightforward and specific. Define the exact output you’re looking for, such as a legal document or case summary.

Context: Provide relevant case-specific details, including jurisdiction and key legal terms, to help the AI generate the most accurate and relevant content.

Refinement: AI responses may need to be refined over time. Be prepared to follow up with more specific prompts or adjust your queries to improve the AI’s output.

How can barristers start to take advantage of these technologies?

Generative AI can be a game-changer for barristers in many areas of their work:

Trial preparation: Save time by using AI to quickly analyse large volumes of case law and generate useful summaries.

Legal research: Stay ahead of the competition by ensuring no important cases are missed during your research.

Opposing arguments: AI can swiftly summarise your opponent’s submissions, giving you more time to develop a strategic response.

Final Thoughts

The integration of generative AI into New Zealand’s legal sector marks a significant advancement. By adopting legal tech tools like Lexis+ and shortly Lexis+ AI, barristers can improve their efficiency, enhance the quality of their legal research, and gain a competitive edge. However, it’s essential to remember that AI is just one tool in a barrister’s toolkit.

AI-generated responses should always be carefully reviewed, verified, and supplemented with traditional legal methods to ensure accuracy and completeness.

Embracing AI responsibly and thoughtfully will help New Zealand barristers stay ahead in an evolving legal landscape.

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Coming Soon Lexis+ AI™ in New Zealand

Lexis+ AI, will be available in 2025 for New Zealand, it provides barristers with a highly reliable tool that functions like an informed colleague. With access to an extensive range of legal content from LexisNexis, it offers valuable support for routine legal tasks, helping barristers streamline their workflow.

Key features of Lexis+ AI include:

• Conversational search for faster legal research

• First-draft generation for emails, letters, and legal clauses

• Case summarisation at the click of a button

• Secure document analysis with linked legal citations

How can Lexis+ AI empower you? Trial preparation – this is often a time consuming and technical task requiring the analysis and synthesisation of copious amounts of content. Lexis+ AI can save you time by finding relevant cases and providing summaries of relevant judgments, giving you a springboard to determining your strategy.

Catching cases - Lexis + AI can support your research and ensure that you’re ahead of the curve by making sure you don’t miss a case or uncover cases that your opponent hasn’t identified.

Reviewing opposing arguments – uploading your opponent’s submissions will allow you to have a summary of their approach at your fingertips in moments. This gives you back time to dedicate to how you will tackle their arguments from a strategic point of view.