Powered by
MOMENTUM
MEDIA
As artificial intelligence rapidly embeds itself in the legal profession, a two-tier divide is emerging between those who use it well and those at risk of falling behind, a chief knowledge officer has shared.
In a profession increasingly equipped with powerful artificial intelligence tools, the strongest lawyers will be those who combine their legal expertise with sharp critical thinking and digital fluency.
It is those practitioners who will know how to “leverage technology, but they will also know when to pause, verify, and apply human judgement”, Gilbert + Tobin’s partner and chief knowledge and innovation officer, Caryn Sandler, told Lawyers Weekly.
“AI can help lawyers move through information more efficiently, identify patterns and support drafting or analysis. But it does not replace judgement,” Sandler said.
“The real differentiator will be the lawyer’s ability to interrogate outputs, ask better questions, test assumptions, and understand what matters strategically for the client.”
Sandler will expand further on the opportunity AI presents to lawyers at Clio and Lawyers Weekly’s “(Almost) everything law school didn’t teach you” free live stream this Wednesday, 3 June.
Ahead of the panel, Sandler warned that without meaningful adoption, the profession risks a widening capability gap, leaving those who fail to develop the skills falling behind their adaptive peers.
“Meaningful adoption is the critical step. Lawyers need to understand how AI fits into their workflows, where it adds value and where human oversight is essential,” Sandler said.
“Firms also have a responsibility to build capability, provide clear guardrails and create the right environment for safe experimentations.”
Looking ahead, legal practice is expected to become increasingly multidisciplinary, and lawyers should anticipate that they will be working alongside technologists, data specialists, legal project managers and innovation teams within the next five years.
To prepare, legal teams should pair AI adoption with operational model transformation, governance, data protection, confidentiality controls and clear accountability.
Firms that lead in this space will have tested tools, embedded them into real workflows, rethought service delivery, and built on capability, all while maintaining client trust.
For individual lawyers, the starting point should be curiosity rather than fear, with Sandler encouraging they start with “low-risk use cases” such as summarising material, preparing a first draft, testing an argument, or organising information.
“The goal is not to become a technologist overnight. It is to build enough confidence and literacy to understand how these tools can support your work,” Sandler said.
“AI will keep changing, so adaptability, judgement and a willingness to keep learning will matter just as much as technical skill.”
Hear more from Caryn Sandler and other experts at Clio and Lawyers Weekly’s “(Almost) everything law school didn’t cover) this Wednesday, 3 June. Register for the free live stream here.
