Artificial intelligence is no longer a futuristic concept – it is rapidly becoming an integral part of the Asia-Pacific legal profession, compelling legal leaders to consider how best to embed this technology into their existing workflows.
Artificial intelligence has rapidly moved beyond the hype, transforming from a mere buzzword into a practical, everyday tool within the Asia-Pacific legal profession.
For firms across the region, the focus has shifted from whether they need an AI strategy to how they can seamlessly integrate the technology into daily practice without disrupting established workflows.
Following the pair’s appearance at Lawyers Weekly’s AI in Action webcast, Jennifer Cathcart, NetDocuments’ head of APAC region, and Hayley Leung, senior solutions consultant of the APAC region, spoke with Lawyers Weekly on how adoption isn’t about chasing the latest flashy tool – it’s about thoughtful integration.
Cathcart explained that framing AI as a standalone strategy risks overcomplicating the issue. Instead, she said, it should be viewed as part of a firm’s broader technology stack to ensure effective implementation.
“AI has become technology. It’s not what your AI strategy is as much as how you are incorporating new technology into your workflows, into your daily practice,” Cathcart said.
As AI reshapes the legal profession, Cathcart shared how firms must focus on solutions that align with their values and tackle the challenges that matter most – rather than chasing every new technology on the market.
“The growth [of AI in APAC] is happening very quickly, and each firm is going to be different with how they adopt that level of growth,” Cathcart said.
“There’s always going to be a million different solutions out there, and making sure that they’re just really looking inwards to understand what the value is that they’re looking to get out of it.”
Recognising that overhauling entire systems at once can be daunting for legal leaders, she advised that the best way to implement AI is to start “simple and embedding it into their already existing workflows”.
Cathcart stressed the importance of building on a strong foundation rather than ripping everything out at once.
“If firms try to completely uproot their tech stack in one go, it can become painful and complex, with huge adoption hurdles,” she said.
“The smarter approach is to establish a solid foundational layer that can support innovation and integration over time, allowing new tools to slot in smoothly without disrupting the entire system.”
Leung added that firms should resist the temptation to pursue multiple point solutions for every AI function, and instead focus on leveraging their existing tech stack to integrate AI effectively.
“I think looking at the current tech stack and seeing what you can utilise AI for in your current technologies is going to be key,” Leung said.
“Ensuring that the platforms work together, that they’re connected, and they’re embedded instead of getting a million different point solutions for different AI functions.”
Evaluate AI through the lens of the specific value it can bring to a firm. Cathcart described this approach as the “right formula” for effective implementation.
She said: “The key is finding the right balance between what the technology can help with and where your own expertise adds value. Firms need to identify specific use cases that remove some of the heavy lifting and repetitive tasks – and in turn, enable their teams of legal experts to firmly focus on doing their best work.”
