Let’s cut through the noise. AI in the legal world isn’t just about efficiency—it’s about possibility. If your AI strategy begins and ends with “faster document review” and “automating emails,” you’re missing the real game.
I believe AI is an invitation to rethink everything—how you practice, strategize, and win. I also believe now is the time to expand how all of us, especially my fellow lawyers, can leverage AI to be better lawyers and human beings.
AI Isn’t Here to Replace You—It’s Here to Supercharge You
Let’s flip the "AI is coming for your job" switch and look at things through a different lens:
AI isn’t coming for your job. It’s coming for your limits.
Sure, AI can plow through discovery, analyze case law, and draft contracts with machine-like precision. But that’s the baseline. The real impact? AI is changing how we think. It’s breaking us out of outdated, linear approaches and opening doors we didn’t even know existed.
I'm experiencing this new dynamic weekly. It's all about how you use AI that makes a difference.
For example, let's say you’re handling a high-stakes litigation. Instead of drowning in thousands of pages of precedent, AI runs predictive models that analyze millions of data points which include decades of rulings, judicial tendencies, and opposing counsel’s behavior—in seconds.
It tells you what will probably happen next. It coaches you on how to play your next hand, and the one after that.
I do this as a litigator and also when serving as a private mediator.
AI doesn't just make you faster; it makes you smarter. This isn’t about playing the game better. It’s about rewriting the rules and winning.
Say Goodbye to Linear Thinking
If there's one thing I've learned in 30+ years of practicing law it's the following:
Law is built on precision, logic, structure. That’s great—until it isn’t.
Linear thinking says:
→ “What’s the next logical step in this case?”
AI says:
→ “Here are three alternative pathways, each backed by data, that you didn’t even consider.”
The large outlier jury verdicts I've obtained for my clients over the years involved linear thinking but looking back, they had more to do with something else. Something AI can now quickly and easily bring to the table. It's something I was doing subconsciously. And it mattered.
Here's what I mean.
Just like I’ve always understood that winning isn’t just about the facts—it’s about perception, psychology, and the unspoken forces that shape decisions—AI takes that same game to a whole new level. It doesn’t just analyze case law; it uncovers the emotional undercurrents, societal biases, and strategic levers that sway decision-makers. The difference? What once took instinct, experience, and gut feeling, AI now enhances with cold, hard data. It sees the patterns you don’t, predicts the reactions you can’t, and connects the dots you never even knew existed.
Let’s say you’re preparing for trial. AI doesn’t just help with figuring out the above, it suggest arguments—it identifies which exact phrases have statistically persuaded similar judges and juries in similar cases. It highlights unseen trends that flip your entire approach on its head.
Now, take that a step further. What if AI could predict disputes before they even happen? What if you could use AI Agents to build custom legal strategies for every client, based on real-time data, industry trends, and predictive analytics?
This is already happening. Friends of mine and yours truly are using AI in these ways in almost every single case we handle. Are you?
AI as Your Creativity Amplifier
Let’s address the fear: “Won’t AI replace lawyers?”
No. AI can’t replace judgment, creativity, or human insight. What it can do is eliminate the grind work so you can focus on your genius zones—strategic thinking, high-level problem-solving, and human connection.
Think of AI as a paintbrush. It won’t paint the masterpiece for you—but it will let you paint bigger, bolder, and faster than ever. [see Chapter 4 of my book Artificial Intelligence in Law titled Data-Driven Decisions].
Look, give some thought to the following:
→ AI automates contract drafting, so you can spend your time negotiating better deals.
→ AI scans years of regulatory updates, so you can focus on outsmarting the competition.
→ AI flags case risks before they become issues, so you’re not reacting—you’re already ten steps ahead.
AI doesn’t make you irrelevant. It makes you unstoppable.
The Human Touch Matters More Than Ever
Here’s the paradox: As AI takes over routine tasks, the human side of law becomes even more valuable.
→ AI can crunch numbers, but it can’t build trust.
→ AI can analyze contracts, but it can’t comfort a nervous client.
→ AI can generate arguments, but it can’t stand in a courtroom and fight for justice.
Your clients don’t just want legal solutions. They want connection. They want to be heard, understood, and reassured. AI might be your secret weapon, but you are still the hero.
Stop Thinking Small—Start Thinking Revolutionary
So, where does that leave you? Simple: Expand the ways you and your team are using AI. Stop using AI to do the same old things, just faster.
Start leveraging AI to be better.
→ Predict outcomes before they happen.
→ Spot patterns no one else has noticed.
→ Build strategies that leave your competitors scrambling to catch up.
AI isn’t just an upgrade. It’s a game-changer.
Mitch Jackson, Esq. | On Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/mitch.social
