Technology’s Effect on Advocacy
Human-to-human connection with opposing counsel is a skill that must be practiced, over and over again, not only for our own well-being as advocates but also to advance our cases and so that our positive interactions and relationships inure to our clients’ benefit. We cannot spend the day solely interacting with AI tools or using AI platforms to crank out lengthy meet-and-confer letters and then expect to remember how to interact with opposing counsel. We must push ourselves and encourage our team members to pick up the phone or set a videoconference with opposing counsel and have real conversations that move the needle. These intelligent, civil conversations bear even more potency when more and more professionals are viewing written work product with skepticism because of AI’s prevalence. Live conversations are an opportunity to flex our power, hash out issues efficiently, and take temperatures on meaningful resolution short of trial.
law. While technology evolves (R.I.P., Word Perfect and manual dictations) the art of storytelling and passing down best practices and war stories remains invaluable.
The Human Connection
The culture is the cure. The law firm lifestyle should not suffer or wither away because of the advent of AI. People, including our teams, crave a sense of belonging, of being a part of something bigger. This is precisely why we should not defer entire firm operations to AI. From Alexis’s vantage point as a firm owner and founder, when hiring attorneys and legal staff, she sees the value in assembling a team of human beings with heart—for purposes of curating a dynamic, thoughtful, and engaged workforce. That is not only what our clients need today; it is what makes for a meaningful career and daily life, pursuing justice for people. Legal teams who combine compassion and experience with the savvy and ethical use of AI will be the most formidable forces today. Especially with the overwhelming concentration of wealth and power among certain corporations and individuals, we owe it to ourselves and to our clients to double down on our people, while embracing technology at the same time. When it comes to building and working in a firm that values real people, the limits are endless. While AI may be utilized for tasks like (securely) summarizing voluminous records or synthesizing documents produced, we cannot and should not outsource it all to technology.
The Collective Experience
Having human colleagues versus AI chat-bots also provides camaraderie and fulfillment at work. A human brain is inarguably more creative, unique, and fun to have around as a coworker! Nothing beats a lively debate in the conference room with fellow attorneys and legal staff on litigation strategy or next steps. Each team member’s unique background and experience add perspective to the conversation, in a manner AI cannot achieve.
The Value to the Firm
Firm culture stems from the people that make up the workplace and the leaders who set the tone and drive the spirit of the firm. A high-energy, positive workplace cannot be created by AI. Hiring human staff to your law firm may also increase case results,
A Note on Civility
Just like any other skill, civility is a strength we must exercise, or we risk the muscle atrophying.
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Consumer Attorneys of California
FORUM September/October 2026
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