June 28, 2024
Technology advancements and generative AI have been the source of accelerated change in the legal industry in recent years—and it isn’t projected to slow down. While these technologies do present new challenges and considerations, they also present promising opportunities when used intentionally and strategically.
Torys lawyers discuss these opportunities in greater depth in a Lexpert exclusive feature exploring how AI and other tech solutions can be leveraged to enhance workflow efficiencies, service quality, and more.
“Technology can be incredibly helpful, and we’re figuring out better and smarter ways to deploy it,” says Gillian Dingle, partner and co-head of Torys’ securities defence practice. “That’s how the industry will continue to evolve.”
When integrating new technologies, Torys lawyers stress the importance of intentionality, rather than adopting a new technology simply for the sake of it. This means identifying the end goal and strategically selecting a tool that offers the “must-have” features needed to meet that goal—often referred to as the minimum viable product (MVP).
“Everyone gets excited about what these new technologies and platforms offer—and, given the roles we have, we’re always interested in exploring,” says Jessica Lumière, a senior associate based in Torys’ Legal Services Centre (LSC) in Halifax.
“But do we need them? It’s easy to get sidetracked and pulled off your plan, so grounding decisions in that concept of MVP is critical.”
This philosophy is at the core of Torys' LSC. Based out of the firm’s Halifax office, the LSC offers a suite of bespoke technology solutions to help clients meet their unique goals, striking a balance between gaining efficiencies while mitigating risk. Established 10 years ago with only four lawyers and one staff, the LSC has since grown to a team of 28, supporting all Torys offices remotely.
The LSC’s goal is to be innovative but also evaluative, Jessica says. “We carefully triage use cases that make sense, and when we’re testing tools where the practical applications and benefits are underwhelming, we move on.”
Evaluation and intentionality are particularly important when it comes to selecting generative AI and machine learning tools, which have been deemed a “game changer” in the legal industry, says Clare Mauro, director of litigation and ediscovery services. Given the highly sensitive nature of client information, it’s crucial that this data is not used to train large AI language models.
“We like aspects of [Generative AI], such as how it shapes workflows, but it’s always driven by context. We don’t think GenAI is quite ready for prime time in the sense of throwing open the doors and embracing it fully,” Clare says.
As the firm continues to focus on delivering exceptional service to clients and offering innovative and tailored solutions, collaborating across the firm and leveraging the LSC will be key. Already, Clare’s ediscovery team is partnering with the LSC on a new service offering that enhances internal workflow and provides an added layer to ediscovery review.
“This is an exciting time in developing the way we approach ediscovery,” she says. “It’s a great development for the firm and I’m looking forward to seeing where it goes from here. We’ve already hit the ground running.”
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