Ethical and Practical Uses of AI for Paralegals: Part 2
My last post on AI focused on simple and practical ways that artificial intelligence can make everyday tasks in the legal field more efficient. In this post, I will give more examples and introduce specific AI tools other than large-language models (LLMs) to utilize in legal practice. While I no longer work in a traditional paralegal role, I am still working in the legal field in a nonprofit with a focus on operations and program management. I look back on the years when I did work as a paralegal and can identify ways that AI could have enhanced my work.
In my first paralegal role, I worked for a firm that did not use a case management system and only used software that tracked time and created invoices. The second firm I worked at utilized Prolaw, which integrated a template generator and automatic task creation based on a set of input deadlines. This case management system made it far easier to oversee a high caseload and meet billing requirements. In my third paralegal position, I had no access to a case management system but also did not have to bill time. There were tasks in which I could have utilized AI to locate keywords in extensive discovery or long videos. I now use ChatGPT and other software with AI features every day in my work for a variety of tasks, as well as for personal tasks. Below are examples of tasks I have asked it to complete recently.
*Note that my paid ChatGPT account already knows who I am and what my role is from past prompts, so I don’t always have to provide that information unless I am creating a prompt for a new role. Prompts for a new ChatGPT account would require additional information about your role, and I will talk more about prompt engineering later in this article.
Real-Life Examples of AI Tasks
Task Description | ChatGPT Prompt |
I had a Word document with a list of URLs, publishers, and publication dates. I uploaded that document to ChatGPT and asked it to transfer into a CSV document that I could download. | · Analyze the uploaded Word document. I need you to locate any URLs in the document and put them into an Excel spreadsheet in column A with the link underlying the name of the publication. In column B, I need the name of the publisher that follows the URL. In column C, I need the date published. In column D, add any information that follows the date (this should be information that appears before the next URL). If you are unclear about how I want this formatted, please ask clarifying questions. I want you to then provide me a link to download the document as a CSV. |
I had a Zoom recording with no transcript. I asked ChatGPT what program I could use to create a transcript from that recording so I could create minutes. It suggested using Otter.ai to upload the video and create a transcript and then using ChatGPT to create the minutes. | · Prompt 1: Analyze the uploaded files [previously finalized meeting minutes] and update your memory to save as the style for this organization’s meeting minutes so you can draft meeting minutes in the same style and formatting in the future from transcripts I provide you.
· Prompt 2: Now take the following transcript and create meeting minutes in the style and format for the organization’s meeting minutes and provide them to me in an editable, downloadable Word document. |
I had a biography from a stakeholder written in first person and needed it rewritten in third person. | · Rewrite this bio in third person but maintain the original writing style. |
Someone I know needed a resume so he could apply for a specific position. I entered his experience, his name, email, and mailing address. I then pasted the job posting with the requirements. | · Prompt 1: [Name] wants a position as a salesperson at a car dealership. Please tailor his resume to this position. Here are his experience details and the job description for the position he wants to apply for.
· Prompt 2: Now draft a cover letter for this job using 12th grade language written by a 27-year-old male. |
AI Tools Other Than Large-Language Models
I have focused on LLMs, but there are countless other tools that integrate AI and can improve efficiency in a legal practice. Below is a non-exhaustive list that should at least give you an idea of tools you could use in your everyday practice.
Tool | Purpose | Key Features |
Data Management, Analysis, and Research | ||
Airtable | Project and data management tool. | Create apps and databases using prompts in Airtable Cobuilder. AI identifies connected records and performs internet searches. Ask Airtable AI will help you locate information specifically about your database. |
Casetext CoCounsel, Westlaw Precision with CoCounsel | Legal research tools that streamline and automate research tasks. | Quickly identify, summarize, and organize legal research. |
Communications and Collaboration | ||
Grammarly | Writing enhancement and proofreading. | Provides grammar and style suggestions in real time, both as an app and a browser add-on. |
Boomerang | Email management tool for Gmail. | Archives emails, schedules follow-ups, and suggests optimal times for sending emails. |
Slack AI | Team communication enhancement. | Automates responses, suggests conversation channels, and summarizes discussions. |
Read.ai, Fathom, Otter.ai | Meeting transcription and note-taking. | Records virtual meetings, creates transcripts, and generates action item lists. |
Loom, Scribe.AI | Visual collaboration tools for sharing instructions and tutorials. | With Loom you can create short videos with AI-generated, step-by-step instructions created from your voice prompts; Scribe.AI generates automatic screenshots with each click of a mouse for customizable tutorials. |
Content Creation and Marketing Tools | ||
Canva Magic Design | Graphic design for presentations, social media, and newsletters. | Creates custom graphics from written prompts. |
Loomly, Hootsuite | Social media content creation and scheduling. | Drafts AI-generated copy and identifies optimal posting times for maximum reach. |
Presentations.ai | AI-powered presentation creation. | Generates entire presentations, including graphics, based on a prompt. |
Again, this list is not exhaustive. I have learned about a few of these tools at conferences, but more often, I learn about them by using LLMs to brainstorm ideas for how I can use AI to improve my workflows for specific use cases. Prompt engineering itself is a learned skill. For AI beginners, consider reading about prompt engineering to learn how to better “speak” to LLMs to get the best and most accurate results. Below are a few suggested blog posts on prompt engineering:
- Beginner’s Guide to Engineering Prompts for LLMs
- The Beginner’s Guide to LLM Prompting
- Techniques for Writing Effective Legal AI Prompts
- Introduction to legal prompt engineering in generative AI
- Introduction to Legal Prompt Engineering (LPE)
As I mentioned in my previous blog post on AI, ethical use of artificial intelligence is a top priority, particularly in the legal field, where client confidentiality is requisite. As most who are familiar with AI already know, LLMs can and do hallucinate, meaning they can give inaccurate information and sometimes completely fabricate details. Sometimes, I realize that an answer from ChatGPT sounds suspicious, and I will ask it if it gave me existing information or if it made it up. While I do not rely on that answer and will still research on my own, it is interesting that it apologizes and “admits” that it put information in as a placeholder or fabricated it.
Like protecting oneself from spam emails or texts, it is important to stay vigilant and apply human reasoning to research and verify information provided by an LLM. As you will learn from the above posts on prompt engineering, LLMs are most accurate when provided information with specific parameters about how to manage them. I have heard some people worry that artificial intelligence will replace people in future jobs, but AI is making it clear that, while it can make us more efficient workers, we still need human reasoning. AI can process extensive information very quickly, but it cannot interpret non-verbal cues or provide emotional support, both of which are important parts of collaborating with our colleagues and communicating with clients. Paralegals should not be afraid that AI will replace them; instead, they should embrace it, use it responsibly, and let it improve their workflows!
Rachel Royal, CP, NCCP, graduated with honors from Carteret Community College in 2017, as the Paralegal Graduate of the Year and completed a Bachelor of Science with a concentration in Legal Studies from Charter Oak State College in 2024. She has been in leadership with the North Carolina Bar Association Paralegal Division since 2018, including co-chairing the Division’s Pro Bono Committee. Rachel has worked in family law, insurance defense, and municipal law and has been owner of Royal Touch Project Solutions as a freelance paralegal and project management consultant since 2020. She currently works for Frontline Justice as the Program Coordinator. Rachel has volunteered for multiple legal services organizations over the past eight years and has been instrumental in developing and coordinating several pro bono projects and pro bono-focused CLEs. She lives in Wilmington, North Carolina with her husband, two sons, and toy Australian Shepherd.
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