Both terms appear commonly online and are often mentioned at academic events on law, business, innovation and technology. So, without further ado, the answer to the question in the title of this post is:
The terms “Legal Tech” y “Law Tech”, are not the same and are not synonyms; they are, however, related within the world of digital transformation in the field of law.
LEGAL TECH
On the one hand, the term “LEGAL TECH”, whose origin dates back to the early 1980s, refers to the application of various technologies to the provision of legal services, which support or assist the legal professional in delivering their service. For example, if a lawyer or law firm develops a smartphone application in order to receive and handle professional enquiries through it and create a network between the firm and its clients, we would be talking about “Legal Tech”. These tools can also be applied in forms such as, among others:
- Networks matching potential clients with lawyers (marketplaces)
- Outsourcing of legal processes and services
- Automation of document management
- Digital tools for access to codes, rulings and case law
- Predictive case analysis
- E-learning
LAW TECH
On the other hand, the term “LAW TECH” is more recent, coined with the rise of ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI); in this case the technological tools do not assist the lawyer's work, they replace it. Systems described as “Law Tech” are highly sophisticated: they develop machine-learning algorithms which in turn create the ability to memorise behavioural patterns or even allow certain tasks to be carried out automatically.
"Law Tech" tools are designed to be used by clients who need legal services without the human intervention of a lawyer, so they could change lawyers' business model and, to a certain extent, replace them. One example of this could be (www.donotpay.com) an app marketed as a robot lawyer which allows users — in the state of California, USA — to challenge traffic fines, cancel subscriptions or services and protect copyright, among other functions.
Now, there are people who draw no distinction between the two terms and others who agree with separating them; I personally subscribe — obviously — to the second group. It is up to the reader to look into it more deeply and reach their own view on the matter.
Lawyers, judges, prosecutors and others:
- Will we be replaced by robots or automated systems?
To find the answer, ask yourself:
- Can what I do be done automatically?
If the answer is yes, then perhaps in the future your job or activity is at risk; it is never wise to say NEVER.
If you have any questions, write to me: info@fabriziogarcia.com or keep visiting the blog at /en/blog/
Att.
Fabrizio