Washington Lawyer - March/April 2025 - 8

PRACTICE MANAGEMENT
Strive to Be Human
in an AI-Powered World
By Kaitlin E. McGee
W
ith the surge in AI adoption
by law firms, 57
percent of an attorney's
work and 81 percent of
hourly work performed by administrative
assistants could now be
automated.
According to Clio's 2024 Legal Trends Report,
tasks like documentation, record keeping, and
analyzing data - which represent 66 percent
of law firms' hourly billable work - are best
suited for automation. For solo and small firm
lawyers especially, AI presents opportunities to
increase efficiency in operations and focus time
and energy on tasks that matter most.
Tools like ChatGPT, document-drafting software,
and AI-powered legal research platforms
and client intake systems can dramatically improve
efficiency. In addition, AI tools can assist
in marketing. For example, I use Descript to create
and edit video clips in minutes - a process
that once took hours.
ChatGPT and similar tools can also help lawyers
draft LinkedIn posts, translate blog content
into other languages, and repurpose content
into various formats. With these tools, lawyers
spend less time on tedious tasks and more
time on strategy and higher-level thinking.
However, even with these advancements, technology
cannot replace human connection. It's
ultimately that connection - built by trust, relationships,
and engagement with others -
that not only drives us to practice law but also
improves the quality of our work.
DOWNSIDES OF STAYING VIRTUAL
As technology has improved, I've noticed a
troubling trend: Many lawyers are opting out of
in-person interactions altogether. Whether due
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* MARCH/APRIL 2025
to pandemic-induced habits or the convenience
of remote work, a growing number of
lawyers want to run firms remotely, handle client
meetings exclusively on Zoom, and attend
court virtually. While these options have their
place, they cannot replace the value of being
present for clients, for colleagues, and for others
within the legal community.
We need to ask ourselves: Are we using technology
to free ourselves for meaningful work,
or are we retreating into the comfort of the virtual
world at the expense of our clients and our
practices?
During the pandemic, Dan Mills and I taught
Basic Training & Beyond over Zoom. Each session
ran about seven hours, and while these
programs were well-attended, the differences in
participation became clear when we returned
to in-person training. Lawyers in live sessions
retained more information, asked better questions,
and engaged in deeper, livelier discussions.
There's something about being in the
same room - free from distractions, surrounded
by peers - that fosters focus and engagement
in a way virtual platforms simply cannot.
SHOWING UP MATTERS
The benefits of showing up extend beyond the
classroom. These monthly in-person sessions
often spark meaningful connections outside
the program. Participants exchange business
cards, grab lunch together, or start informal
support networks much more naturally and
spontaneously than they typically would in a
virtual setting. While connections can happen
online, especially when participants are motivated,
the format tends to limit interaction, as
lawyers often prefer to keep their cameras off
and speak less.
The same is true for courtroom interactions.
When I practiced law, I frequently gained clients
simply by being present in the courtroom.
Prospective clients would approach me for
help with their cases after observing my work.
That kind of organic business development is
nearly impossible in virtual hearings, where interactions
are limited to the parties involved
and the screen divides us.
Clients benefit from in-person meetings. While
virtual consultations are convenient, they often
lack depth and nuance. Seeing a client in their
environment or observing their reactions and
reading their body language in real time helps
lawyers better understand their needs and personalities,
allowing for tailored advice and
stronger strategies. For clients, these interactions
build confidence and trust in their lawyer's
commitment and expertise.
The Clio report reinforces this: 70 percent of clients
are neutral or prefer working with firms
that use AI, but they still want meaningful human
interaction for complex legal issues. Chatbots
and other tools can enhance responsiveness,
but they cannot replace the lawyer-client
relationship.
STRIKING THE RIGHT BALANCE
This is not an argument against technology. I'm
a big advocate for using AI to make your law
practice more efficient and accessible. The key
is to use these tools to free up time for the
work that truly matters - engaging with people.
Lawyers, especially those in solo practices
and small firms, need to embrace technology
that saves time and increases efficiency to
make their firms productive while also resisting
the temptation to retreat into a virtual bubble.
Show up for your clients. Show up in court.
Show up for networking and professional development
opportunities. The relationships you
build by being present will not only grow your
practice, but also make you a better lawyer.
D.C. Bar practice management advisors Kaitlin
McGee and Dan Mills can be reached at kmcgee@
dcbar.org or dmills@dcbar.org, respectively.
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2025

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