Legal research is a fundamental function of the legal department: the act of investigating and obtaining evidence needed to support a legal conclusion.
This approach has traditionally required lawyers to sift through lengthy legal documents, precedents, statutes and regulations, which can be time-consuming and labor-intensive.
The effort put into research is coupled with the fact that legal practitioners are only as good as the results of that research. In the legal world, research speaks for legal practitioners. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a disruptive technology.
AI has been introduced and used in various aspects of human activities such as business, finance, health etc. However, the use of AI in legal research and drafting has not been popular, especially in Nigeria. This is because most law firms are still very conservative and traditional in their approach to legal research.
The adoption and application of AI has many benefits. Applying AI in legal research can improve the accuracy of research findings while minimizing the time legal experts spend on manual research. AI can also be used in letter writing.
Additionally, AI enhances the search experience by allowing users to perform contextual searches rather than keyword searches, meaning lawyers can find facts that are relevant in context even if the exact keywords are not included in the document.
LegalDigitalNG, a legal journalism and digital publishing company, has adopted AI for its digital platform. LegalDigitalNG aims to improve the legal environment in Nigeria by providing cutting edge tools to legal professionals and improving access to legal information through the adoption of AI.
LegalDigitalNG's AI component helps users perform in-depth legal research faster. The platform uses AI to review statutes, precedents, and draft documents to provide users with accurate and relevant information.
As a result, less time and effort is required to complete legal research, allowing legal professionals to focus on more strategic elements of their field.
