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Artificial Intelligence in legal practice – cost considerations

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However, it is important to weigh these benefits with the risk and associated costs that may be incurred implementing and using this evolving technology. Any benefit must be weighed against the fixed and variable costs of upgrading and continuing to adopt systems that are compliant with professional and ethical obligations in legal practice.

Cost issues

Leveraging technology to address the competitive nature of legal practice and minimise costs in the provision of legal services is not a new consideration for lawyers. However, as new technologies become more sophisticated, practitioners should be mindful of the burgeoning transformative costs imposed on the legal profession.

The cost of AI is currently very high and hopefully may decrease. Previous revolutions in technology often resulted in expensive systems being quickly outpaced by new and less expensive systems. However, for the time being, when considering adopting any new technology, it is useful to consider the relevant costs that may be incurred, such as:

  • Detailed AI program information that is required.
  • AI Performance Data that can account for the cost and time spent on adopting the technology.
  • What is the payment schedule for use of AI.
  • Calculating the annual Fixed Costs – often associated with upgrading of computer systems and purchase or licence agreement on using AI.
  • Recording the annual variable costs – the hourly cost of using AI in legal practice.
  • The hourly cost analysis – for billing purposes and internal costing of time allocated to a matter
  • Annual / Monthly Budgets for cost analysis of performance using AI in legal practice.

Additionally, any adoption of AI in legal practice must factor in the costs of compliance, such as:

  • Developing governance policies and processes to decrease risk when using AI.
  • Costs for all necessary training of solicitors and legal support staff.
  • Measures to ensure the AI system is compliant with the legal profession legislation and copyright laws and does not breach confidentiality and privacy.
  • The means to review and test the AI tools being used.
  • Advising clients of the merits for using AI and the implications of using client data that may be disclosed.

All of these factors need to be considered in association with the compliance of a solicitor’s professional and ethical obligations.

The regulatory landscape

There is a need for a regulatory framework that addresses the issues of convergence, divergence and harmonization in future AI policy. The current challenges include:[1]

  • Having different regulatory regimes.
  • The need for common principles and compliance policies for a changing environment.
  • The ongoing need for education and the inherent cost of regulatory compliance.
  • The impact of large learning language models.

There will be an ongoing cost by the profession to comply with the professional bodies that regulate the legal profession and to ensure the proper and accepted use of AI. These will include:

  • The development of guidelines for every legal practice. [2]
  • What will be the level of technical knowledge required by a solicitor to meet the test of satisfactory professional conduct and to meet the required delivery of legal services in a “……competent…diligent and prompt manner….whilst still avoiding any compromise to the integrity and professional independence of the solicitor…” [3]

The Law Society has developed a suite of resources – AI for Legal Professionals – to assist practitioners understand the impact of AI on legal practice and comply with their ethical and professional obligations.

AI and the future of legal practice

As we enter a new phase of technology, the ethical and professional standards that we have adhered to will continue to be the silver threads of hope and guidance for the legal profession.

Smaller firms and sole practitioners should take heart, the time of the ‘fountain pen lawyer[4] is not over and it may be entering a golden age, by providing low cost effective and quality legal services without the use of expensive technology.

The writer takes pride in being one of the old-style practitioners, where technology is yet to match the human data base of ‘knowledge, soft skills and wisdom’ that many years of practice bestow upon their diligent legal practice. Computer programs have not yet matched these attributes, where legal practice only requires a good writing fountain pen, a yellow lined notepad and common sense.

Good luck to you all.


Paul Monaghan is a Senior Ethics Solicitor at the Law Society of NSW.

 

Endnotes

[1] International Bar Association and the Centre for AI and digital policy “The future is now: AI and the legal profession” at page 26
[2] A solicitor’s guide to responsible use of Artificial Intelligence, NSW Law Society at https://www.lawsociety.com.au/sites/default/files/2024-12/LS4527_MKG_ResponsibleAIGuide_2024-10-25%5B43%5D.pdf
[3] Australian Solicitors’ Conduct Rules 2015 Rules 4.13 and 4.1.4 Fundamental ethical duties
[4]  ‘Fountian-pen lawyer’ – old age and proficient lawyer; not needing the use of fancy technology to solve legal problems and provided quality legal service – much sought after in legal profession.



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Mistral AI Nears Close of Funding Round Lifting Valuation to $14B

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Artificial intelligence (AI) startup Mistral AI is reportedly nearing the close of a funding round in which it would raise €2 billion (about $2.3 billion) and be valued at €12 billion (about $14 billion).

This would be Mistral AI’s first fundraise since a June 2024 round in which it was valued at €5.8 billion, Bloomberg reported Wednesday (Sept. 3), citing unnamed sources.

Mistral AI did not immediately reply to PYMNTS’ request for comment.

According to the Bloomberg report, Mistral AI, which is based in France, is developing a chatbot called Le Chat that is tailored to European user as well as other AI services to compete with the dominant ones from the United States and China.

It was reported on Aug. 3 that Mistral AI was targeting a $10 billion valuation in a funding round in which it would raise $1 billion.

In June, it was reported that the company’s revenues had increased several times over since it raised funds in 2024 and were on pace to exceed $100 million a year for the first time.

PYMNTS reported in June 2024, at the time of Mistral AI’s most recent funding round, that the AI startup raised $113 million in seed funding in June 2023, weeks after it was launched, secured an additional $415 million in a funding round in December 2023 in which it was valued at around $2 billion, and then raised $640 million in the round that propelled its valuation to $6 billion.

“We are grateful to our new and existing investors for their continued confidence and support for our global expansion,” Mistral AI said in a post on LinkedIn announcing the June 2024 funding round. “This will accelerate our roadmap as we continue to bring frontier AI into everyone’s hands.”

In June, Mistral AI and chipmaker Nvidia announced a partnership to develop next-generation AI cloud services in France.

The initiative centers around building AI data centers in France using Nvidia chips and will expand Mistral’s businesses model, transitioning the AI startup from being a model developer to being a vertically integrated AI cloud provider, PYMNTS reported at the time.



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PPS Weighs Artificial Intelligence Policy

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Portland Public Schools folded some guidance on artificial intelligence into its district technology policy for students and staff over the summer, though some district officials say the work is far from complete.

The guidelines permit certain district-approved AI tools “to help with administrative tasks, lesson planning, and personalized learning” but require staff to review AI-generated content, check accuracy, and take personal responsibility for any content generated.

The new policy also warns against inputting personal student information into tools, and encourages users to think about inherent bias within such systems. But it’s still a far cry from a specific AI policy, which would have to go through the Portland School Board.

Part of the reason is because AI is such an “active landscape,” says Liz Large, a contracted legal adviser for the district. “The policymaking process as it should is deliberative and takes time,” Large says. “This was the first shot at it…there’s a lot of work [to do].”

PPS, like many school districts nationwide, is continuing to explore how to fold artificial intelligence into learning, but not without controversy. AsThe Oregonian reported in August, the district is entering a partnership with Lumi Story AI, a chatbot that helps older students craft their own stories with a focus on comics and graphic novels (the pilot is offered at some middle and high schools).

There’s also concern from the Portland Association of Teachers. “PAT believes students learn best from humans, instead of AI,” PAT president Angela Bonilla said in an Aug. 26 video. “PAT believes that students deserve to learn the truth from humans and adults they trust and care about.”

Willamette Week’s reporting has concrete impacts that change laws, force action from civic leaders, and drive compromised politicians from public office.

Help us dig deeper.





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Artificial intelligence investing is on the rise since 2013

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FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) — “Artificial intelligence is one of the big new waves in the economy. Right now they say that artificial intelligence is worth about $750 billion in our economy right now. But they expect it to quadruple within about eight or nine years,” said Paul Meyers, President and Financial Advisor at Legacy Wealth Management in Fargo.

According to a Stanford study, since 2013, the United States has been the leading global AI private investor. In 2024, the U.S. invested $109.1 billion in AI. While on a global scale, the corporate AI investment reached $252.3 billion.

“Artificial intelligence is already in our daily lives. And I think it’s just going to become a bigger and bigger part of it. I think we still have control over it. That’s a good thing. But artificial intelligence is helpful to all of us, regardless of what industry you’re in, and we need to be ready for it,” said Meyers.

Recently, Applied Digital has seen a dip in its stock by nearly 4%. The company’s 50-day average price is $12.49, and its 200-day moving average price is $9.07. Their latest report in July reported their earnings per share being $0.12 for the quarter.

“This company has grown quite a bit as a stock this year. For investors in this company, they’re up ninety-four percent this year. And I would say that you know there’s some positives and some negatives, some causes for concern, and some causes for optimism, it’s not a slam dunk,” said Meyers.

At the city council meeting on Tuesday night, Don Flaherty, Mayor of Ellendale, shared that they had not received any financial benefits from Applied Digital and won’t see any until 2026. While Harwood has yet to finalize their decision on the proposal.





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