In August 2023, Mary Smith, President of the American Bar Association (ABA), announced the creation of the ABA Presidential Taskforce on Law and Artificial Intelligence to “bring together lawyers and judges from across the ABA to address the impact of AI on the legal profession and the practice of law.” From it’s beginning, the Taskforce has been concentrating it’s efforts on a broad array of critical AI issues of concern to ABA, including AI’s impact on the legal profession, the courts, legal education, access to justice, governance, risk management, and challenges with generative AI. During the past year, the Task Force has been active on a number of fronts, addressing these issues from various perspectives, including the preparation of it’s Task Force Report on the Impact of AI on the Practice of Law: Year 1 On the Impact of AI on the Practice of Law, released August 2024.
Quoting from the Report: “This Report addresses the critical AI issues that impact lawyers and judges in the practice of law, and provides insights and resources that will equip the legal community to effectively address and leverage these developments. Given the rapid pace of change in the AI landscape (the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) released new guidance documents as this Report was being finalized), and the need to give the AI developments the attention they deserve, the AI Task Force will continue its work in the new bar year (2024-25).
Highlights of the AI Task Force’s year [as mentioned in the Report] include:
“Moving With Change: AI and the Law Webinar Series” is a stellar collection of webinars on which leading experts delve into critical AI issues and provide valuable perspectives on AI
opportunities and risks. Program descriptions, along with links to view the webinars.
A new AI book, Artificial Intelligence: Legal Issues, Policy, and Practical Strategies, was unveiled by the Science & Technology Law Section (SciTech), in collaboration with the AI Task Force, on August 1st at the ABA Annual Meeting. The book features contributions from over 40 preeminent authorities offering legal analysis and reflections on the influence that AI will
have on both the legal profession and the law. It provides practical advice to attorneys, judges, and executives.
Legal Education Survey Report. The ABA gathered insights from law school faculty and administrators regarding the integration of AI into legal education. Over half of the law schools that responded to the survey reported that they offer classes dedicated to teaching students about AI, while many law schools are contemplating changes to their curricula in response to the increasing prevalence of AI tools.
The AI Task Force has been assisted in its work by the ABA sections, divisions, forums, and other entities, including tech-savvy young lawyers, who have provided their unique expertise in diverse
practice areas. These entities have for years presented programs, published materials, and provided opportunities for ABA members to participate in important discussions on AI.
The ABA remains committed to leading the profession in understanding and addressing the legal and ethical complexities of AI and other emerging technologies.”
The primary focus of this Report relates to issues addressed during year one of the creation of the Taskforce. Recognizing the enormous potential of AI for the legal profession and beyond, the AI Task Force will continue to provide valuable information and research for lawyers in all practice areas and address some of the most pressing and challenging legal issues facing us today.