The promise has become a mantra: AI will free lawyers from drudgery so they can focus on higher-value work. Thomas Martin, writing for the Thomson Reuters Institute, points to research from UC-Berkeley that complicates that story considerably. The study tracked what actually happens when knowledge workers adopt generative AI. They don’t work less. They
Larger monitors can be a giant productivity booster. Document review becomes dramatically more efficient when you can display full contract pages side by side without scrolling or zooming. Redlining becomes less tedious when the original and marked versions sit comfortably alongside each other at readable sizes. Research flows more smoothly when case law, statutes, and
The idea that buying some new piece of hardware or software will make our lives easier is tempting. It’s usually a bad idea.
Many professionals operate their core software—be it a word processor, spreadsheet, or project management platform—at only a fraction of its capacity, leaving a vast reservoir of time-saving features untapped. Becoming an expert
The prevailing narrative surrounding Generative AI in the legal sector is one of unprecedented efficiency. The sales pitch is seductive in its simplicity: automate routine drafting and research, compress hours into minutes, and liberate attorneys for higher-value strategic thinking.
Yet, as the initial wave of adoption settles, a distinct counter-narrative is emerging
Obtaining good healthcare is not always easy. Not every doctor is a Marcus Welby clone. And as the old joke goes, 50% of doctors graduated in the lower half of their classes, right? Burnout and pressure to meet daily patient-volume quotas mean many patients don’t receive the attention they deserve and expect.
Lawyers who want
In a profession defined by billable hours, finding time for professional development—let alone personal enrichment—can feel like an impossible task. I used to think podcasts were just another distraction. I was wrong.
Podcasts have not only helped me professionally but also added some joy to my life. They offer a rare opportunity for busy lawyers:
With the selection of Big Thinker Cory Doctorow this year ABA Techshow continued its practice of featuring brilliant keynote speakers. Longtime Internet users will recognize the pattern Doctorow described. AOL became worthless. Yahoo became irrelevant. The content-to-ad ratio on Facebook is overwhelming. Doctorow calls this predictable degradation “En****tification.”
Danielle Braff‘s article in
As an Apple Watch fanboy, I often tell my skeptical friends, “Get one. It will improve your quality of life.” Apple Watches have their benefits but are trivial compared to the benefits I’ve gotten using AI for my home and personal needs. AI can help you with everything from finding a recipe for that weird
Learning to use the tools you already have is usually wiser rather than chasing the newest shiny object du jour. There are a few exceptions. I’ve found two apps particularly useful:
Grammarly. It’s not a spell checker. It’s not a grammar checker. It’s much more. Give it a try. Even lawyers need someone to
Catherine Reach understands better than anyone the best way for most lawyers to become more efficient is learning to use the tools they already own. Investing some time to learn to use styles can turbo charge your productivity. Check out Catherine’s newest article.