Amidst all the hype around AI, many lawyers are still asking:
Where do I start?
How can I use it in my practice?
As a solo practitioner or small firm, can I really afford the investment?
And perhaps most commonly—what if today’s investment becomes obsolete tomorrow?
The good news is that you don’t need to start big. One of the biggest myths surrounding AI is that it requires heavy investment and massive infrastructure. In reality, legal professionals can explore AI at a pace that aligns with their practice. Many solutions are subscription-based or modular, allowing lawyers and firms to pay for only what they need. This flexibility ensures that even solo practitioners or small firms can benefit from AI without straining their budgets. In an industry where time truly is money, AI is emerging as a cornerstone of how lawyers can work smarter and faster.
Here are some high-impact areas for lawyers to start using AI efficiently and cost-effectively.
Lawyers spend a significant amount of time creating and reviewing documents, and AI can ease much of this burden. It can generate first drafts of contracts, NDAs, or pleadings based on key details provided by the lawyer, eliminating the “blank slate” problem and allowing attorneys to focus on refining the content with client-specific information. AI can assist in building a library of pre-designed templates for frequently used legal documents, significantly reducing drafting time while maintaining consistency across client work.
Example:
- Draft a pleading or motion using a lawyer’s bullet-point outline of facts and arguments.
- Assemble a client engagement letter with standard terms pulled from prior matters.
AI can transform the way lawyers draft and review contracts by reusing standard clauses from past work and flagging unusual or risky terms. It can summarize lengthy agreements to highlight key obligations, deadlines, and risks, while drawing attention to ambiguous wording that might cause disputes. AI tools can also identify potential compliance issues and help maintain consistency across documents and matters.
Example:
- Summarize a 40-page partnership contract into a one-page client brief.
- Flag an automatic-renewal clause that deviates from standard terms.
- Identify vague or ambiguous wording in a liability clause that may lead to disputes.
Tracking changes across multiple document versions is a time-consuming task. AI can streamline this process by instantly comparing drafts, flagging edits or omissions, and ensuring that no critical detail is missed during review.
Example:
- Spot that a termination clause was deleted in the latest draft of a supplier contract.
- Highlight new indemnity language added by opposing counsel.
Instead of wading through hundreds of pages, AI can summarize case files, judgments, and regulatory texts into digestible briefs. Users can ask precise queries on case laws or any legal documents and get quick answers, extract timelines of key events from emails and documents, and even convert scanned files into searchable text so that no detail remains buried.
Example:
- Generate summary for lengthy judgments like: Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala.
- Instantly answer a query like “What were the arguments made by the respondent in the case?”
AI enables lawyers to save time while keeping clients fully informed. It can transform complex legal updates into easy-to-understand summaries, generate FAQs, translate messages instantly for non-English-speaking clients, and turn rough notes into polished, professional communications.
Example:
- Convert brief notes into a ready-to-send client letter
For litigators, preparation is everything. AI can generate structured outlines for cross-examinations, opening statements, and trial strategies, while also assisting in brainstorming by suggesting potential questions, arguments, and counterarguments from case law and precedential references. This support helps lawyers enter the courtroom better prepared and more confident.
Example:
- Draft an opening statement outline centered around the key facts of the case.
- Suggest targeted cross-examination questions by analyzing a witness’s previous testimony.
Growth matters as much as efficiency. AI can help generate newsletters, blog posts, and LinkedIn updates, enabling lawyers to stay visible without draining billable hours.
Example:
- Create a first draft of a client newsletter highlighting recent case wins.
AI can act as a sparring partner for strategy development. By analyzing case law, past judgments, and information, it can suggest arguments, counterarguments, and lines of questioning.
Example:
- Recommend potential defenses when a key precedent is unfavorable to your case.
- Outline likely counterarguments the opposing party may raise during negotiations.
- Propose alternative strategies based on similar past judgments.
AI is a powerful assistant, but lawyers remain the final authority. Output generated by AI should be treated as drafts, and never as the final product—they must be reviewed for nuance, negotiation strategy, and client-specific legal risk.
This hybrid approach combines speed and cost savings with the professional judgment that ensures quality and trust.
You don’t need a massive budget or a full-scale overhaul to start using AI. Many of the most impactful use cases can be explored immediately with low-cost, pay-as-you-go tools (no annual subscriptions required). Starting small helps lawyers build confidence with AI, deliver visible value to clients, and lay the foundation for more strategic adoption in the future.
The future of law will not replace lawyers with AI, but it will empower lawyers who know how to leverage it. AI frees up time for strategic thinking, client interaction, and advocacy—the core strengths of legal professionals.
For guidance on how to write prompts, click here: Manuworks.ai
About the author: The author is Deepak Kapoor, CEO and Founder of Manupatra, which has recently launched Manuworks.ai, a pay-as-you-go AI toolkit designed for lawyers.
This is a sponsored post by Manupatra.