I think you might enjoy this well-presented TEDTalk from last year by Ruairidh Wynne-McHardy, a lawyer and self-taught progreammer. He has lived in three countries, speaks two languages and has one goal – to change the face of the legal profession by encouraging the use of legal technology. In his talk he explores to what extent automation and artificial intelligence threaten to take lawyers’ jobs.
“He knows first-hand that lawyers work to a frantic pace, yet they don’t take advantage of the power of technology to help them with their work. Many don’t even know what is available.” “To be a lawyer takes many qualities, but technological proficiency isn’t one of them – yet.”
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You might also enjoy this post on Machine learning and the law.
Hmm.. This makes me think that in the future, all jobs will require basic programming, just as today you need basic reading, writing and arithmetic skills for any job. I don’t think it is possible to avoid that evolution. Though I wonder what will happen to training. I am sure that much of the work of a trainee lawyer is tedious. But it can’t be all grunt work. Some of it must be useful.