In these times, where short-termism and individualism have become prominent in society at all levels and are, in my opinion, enemies of finding solutions to social problems and, in particular, of our judicial system (currently exacerbated by the strike of Justice Administration lawyers), it is urgent to raise awareness and reflect on how we are approaching the professional practice of law and the impact we are making through our work.
The vast majority of legal professionals work in small or even solo law firms, where the lawyer must handle everything. This entails stress that affects the mental health of the profession—not to mention family and personal balance or the challenge of maintaining productivity under the relentless pressure of so-called “low-cost” law firms. These issues have already been addressed in various reports, by both the Bar Associations and the Mutual Foundation of the Legal Profession, as well as by the General Council of the Spanish Bar Association.
Artificial Intelligence: Key to “Buying Time” in the Profession
The solution must transition in the short term to real Artificial Intelligence (not just automation) in professional practice. It is nothing more than using these tools to “BUY TIME”: time to optimize productivity, of course, but above all to balance and improve mental health in the profession. To achieve this, it is essential to have the institutional support of the Justice Administration and also of the Professional Associations or the General Council of the Spanish Bar, so that all lawyers can use Artificial Intelligence in an easy, fast, and intuitive way, with the necessary training and at a truly accessible cost for everyone. If this is not done, an even bigger gap will open between large and medium-sized firms with enormous resources and the small (and mostly) firms. Additionally, training should include practical teaching on these technologies in undergraduate and master’s programs, with cases similar to real scenarios.
But beyond that, we must also step out of our comfort zone. I believe we have a profession that can do much more for society: there is a lack of commitment to Social Justice, Restorative Justice, Criminal and Prison Mediation, etc. If we manage to use technology to “buy time,” we will live better, positively impact our society, and serve as a model for other professions, whom we can always support.
Finally, there needs to be a greater culture of Professional Associations, as seen in other countries: more collaboration among professionals, visiting EU member states to see what they do, adapting positive models and ways of working.
A new legal profession is possible if we all collaborate and commit. By integrating and working together, we are stronger.
ARTICLE PUBLISHED IN CONECTADOS MAGAZINE OF THE CEF-UDIMA GROUP
LINK: https://acef.cef.es/vision-nueva-abogacia.html
https://acef.cef.es/vision-nueva-abogacia.html
Ignacio Estradé
Founder of Estradé Law Firm
Lawyer and Mediator
