Transform your legal practice with Microsoft AI

Introduction

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is completely transforming the way legal services are accessed and delivered. To provide some perspective - the introduction of the personal computer, and the advent of the internet were two transformational changes - these two events will appear to be ‘ripples in a pond’ when we look back at the changes AI produces.

The expertise and knowledge a lawyer built over the course of their career was lost when they retired or left the firm. The saleable value of a legal practice was limited to work in progress, perhaps a little more. In addition, the legal knowledge of the 'firm' was locked away in hard to search data silos.  Hours a day spent trawling through files, folders and email messages.

Until now.

Digitization and AI have changed this dynamic, irrevocably.

The precedents you have developed, the client files, advices, file notes, matter documents, procedures, workflows, and every other document represents that accumulated expertise and knowledge which is now an extremely valuable digital asset.

This digital asset can be used within the firm to grow the capacity of the firm, improve client outcomes and increase the ongoing profitability of the firm.

Additionally, the firm has an asset of ever increasing capital value which the partners can take to market and sell, in whole or in part.

Now is the time to put processes and procedures in place to make the most of AI and practice automation. 

JurisIT provides services and advice on the evolving AI landscape, including:
• Implementing Microsoft Copilot;
• Using Copilot in your firm;
• Safeguards to protect the value of your firm and content you create;
• Automation of common firm workflows;
• AI training services (e.g. prompting, identification of use cases);
• Review and assessment of AI vendors and AI offerings.

AI presents immense challenges and opportunities for legal firms. Contact JurisIT now and take advantage of this once in a lifetime transformation of the legal industry. 

Transform Your Practice with AI

When considering introducing AI into your practice, you also need to consider process and workflow automation. AI and automation are two sides of the same coin, one enhances the other. AI and workflow automation can be thought of ‘practice transformation’.

The first step in transforming your practice is to review the various activities and functions you undertake in your day to day practice of law. There will be administrative tasks (recording your CLE, paying an account, renewing a subscription) and legal tasks (providing an advice, reviewing case law) and there will be hybrid tasks that involve both administrative and legal tasks.

In order to determine the most cost effective approach to practice transformation, from both a time and financial point of view, you need to understand the type of practice you have and what technology currently exists to help you.

JurisIT will provide you with the step-by-step guidance to ensure your practice transformation enables you to practice law the way you want.

Our focus is on Microsoft AI as it ties in with, and supports your cybersecurity, complianace and risk requirements. In addition, as the main applications you use are Outlook and Word, it makes sense to leverage the time and investment you have already made.

Why Microsoft and Copilot

Firstly, it is the simplest way to learn about and become comfortable with AI. You are already using Word and Outlook. Your documents are stored in OneDrive and Sharepoint, many of you use Teams to communicate with clients and colleagues. Start experimenting with what Copilot can do in the Microsoft applications you are already using.

Secondly, and more importantly, you must ensure your time and resources are used in the most effective manner. There are many legal tech vendors out there spruiking all sorts of AI and automation solutions for your practice, with more springing up all the time. The vast majority of these companies will fade away, either running out of capital or will be bought out by a larger vendor. Microsoft is here for the long run and will either copy or buy, any innovation that is commercially viable, making it available to you.

Over time you will transition from working in ‘applications’ to instructing Copilot to initiate and manage predefined workflows. Parts of those workflows will require your legal expertise and other parts will be automated or semi-automated freeing your time to undertake other activities.

You can engage JurisIT to assist with all the steps listed below or you can undertake these processes yourself. To be successful we recommend you follow the steps in the order presented. There is no set timeframe to implement the steps. You may wish to commence with step 1, run through the entire weekly email series and then undertake the practice audit. However, we find that clients who really engage with the email series find by week 2 they have lots of ideas and request we undertake the audit. 

​​Step 1: Enable Microsoft Copilot and configure tenant
Purchase of Microsoft 365 Copilot subscriptions and the basic configuration of Copilot in your Microsoft tenant. Additional configuration of your Microsoft tenant will be undertaken after the audit.

To commence your practice transformation we will enrol you in a weekly email series produced by Microsoft which provides you with a daily Copilot prompt suggestion for the most common Microsoft 365 applications. This is a great place to start and will help you identify parts of your practice that can be automated and enhanced with AI.

Step 2: AI and Automation Questionnaire
AI represents a completely new way of working. AI is not a ‘bolt-on’ to your existing practice methods and procedures. This is why we use the word ‘transformation’. To make the most of AI and the opportunities it will deliver you need to step back and examine the business of your law practice and your practice of the law. Without taking the time to do this you will waste a lot of time, effort and money for very little effect or return. The audit produces the information needed to devise a transformation roadmap for you and your practice.

This is a series of questions that provides the basis for determining the scope of what can be automated in your practice. From the answers you provide we identify the ‘quick wins’, areas that can be AI’d, potential timeframes and the resources required. Think of this as a roadmap to follow. The audit report is broken down into sections that provide a brief description of self contained AI/automation projects and their required resources. These projects can be implemented in accordance with your financial and time constraints.

Step 3: Preparation of your Microsoft tenant
To make the best use of AI, your precedents, matter records, client histories and other firm data should be maintained in an independent data repository which is separate to any data stored in your practice management system or other AI program.

The distinction between legal practice management providers and legal information providers is rapidly disappearing, continue to use your current vendors but it is critical to the longevity and value of your firm that you maintain an independent data repository.

In order for Copilot and AI services to access your data and content effectively, Sharepoint, OneDrive, other applications and policies (data loss prevention, data retention) need to be enabled and configured correctly. In addition, your regulatory, compliance and legal requirements mandate specific levels of AI Governance. Additional configuration may be required depending on the audit results and type of practice you have.

Step 4: Planning and implementing AI and automation projects
Scoping, planning and implementing individual AI and automation projects identified after review of the information provided in Step 2. This step is an ongoing process depending on your available time and budget. We recommend you start with the projects that free up the most time in the non-fee earning administrative areas that do not require a trained lawyer to undertake. 

​​​Enrol in our free email series to start using AI effectively in your legal practice.

Technical Services and Guidance

​​AI & Copilot Advisory
- Learn how AI can help you and your practice.
- Review your practice and uncover high-value functional scenarios that can be automated with AI.
- Identify staff roles and matter tasks that would deliver the most value if reimagined with AI.
- Guidance for the responsible use of conversational AI.

​​Get AI & Copilot Ready
- Identify key technical components for each practice area and create a deployment plan for each scenario.
- Prepare appropriate IT infrastructure and subscriptions. -- Identify and implement the appropriate data protection, retention and labelling policies.

​​Implement & Manage
- Identify and redesign business and practice processes to maximise the value and returns of AI.
- AI Governance and Compliance.
- Maintain data protection and privacy.
- Change management.

​​Extend
- Design and implement customised Copilots with agents that bridge applications and technology used within the practice.
- Maintain security and compliance whilst extending AI functionailty to practice and other matter stakeholders.