Indiana Lawyer: Dinsmore's CIO Ed Carroll Discusses Client-Service Approach with Modern Technology
Dinsmore's Chief Information Officer Ed Carroll sat down with The Indiana Lawyer to discuss automation and artificial intelligence in a client-driven environment. The article, "Automation, artificial intelligence touted as helping, not replacing, lawyers," published Aug. 4, includes Carroll's thoughts on firms, including Dinsmore, having to think carefully about clients' needs before adopting new technology. Below is an excerpt.
Carroll pointed to contract review programs as an example of how artificial intelligence is impacting the work lawyers do. The software — which proofs documents and highlights language or provisions that need to be reworked — helps contain costs, reduce risk and accelerate the process, which he said allows attorneys to spend their time strategizing with clients and advising, rather than reading through contracts word by word.
Despite the assistance automation and artificial intelligence offer, Carroll said he is not surprised lawyers are busier than before the technology was available.
“I think much of this is client-driven,” he said. “I think if you’re able to work on matters more efficiently, that does create more opportunity to do perhaps more work for those clients or similar clients.”
Artificial intelligence has gained such a foothold in the legal sector that the technology is now common in law offices, but he said he does not believe the programs and platforms can replace lawyers.
“Are you going to trust your business to a computer, or are you going to trust the counsel of the lawyer that you’ve been working with for over 40 years?” Carroll queried. “There’s a personal connection that I think is still important to business.”