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W hile technological revolutions are inevitable, how they unfold and affect human beings can be unpredictable. At our upcoming LegalTech Summit in June in Toronto, panellists will examine how artificial intelligence, the newest tech revolution for the legal profession, affects lawyers' work. Al Hounsell at Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP (pp. 4–5) says that generative AI promises to be deeply embedded in law firms' day-to-day operations, unlike past innovations, which often remained on the fringes of legal workflows. AI adoption will enhance productivity but also demand a new curve of adaptation and skill as firms determine how to integrate it into their data and search capabilities. David Cohen at McCarthy Tétrault LLP (p. 13) says that after testing AI tools at his firm, he has concluded that having associates review, summarize, and analyze documents will soon become unnecessary when these tools can perform that task with impressive results in seconds. Tara Vasdani at Remote Law Canada (p. 4) says that as AI tools tackle automatable tasks, the qualities that distinguish lawyers are empathy, human connection, and creativity. "So, if you don't build the skills to be a creative, effective, autonomous lawyer, you're really not going to be much different than an AI model," she says. While these broad changes are inevitable, how technology affects market dynamics can be challenging to predict. On a recent episode of Canadian Lawyer's CL Talk podcast, Jordan Furlong predicted that one of the most resilient elements of the legal profession – the billable hour – will survive for a while. Yet, Cohen argues in these pages that AI tools may also upend that certainty. He says that the ability to automate routine tasks could redefine pricing structures and client relationships, urging a shift toward alternative fee arrangements that reflect the actual value and output of legal services. "We will see AFAs finally pick up steam as the inputs and outputs of legal service delivery shift," he writes. Amid this rapid change, one thing is sure: The legal profession is changing fast. But how exactly it will look in the future is far from certain. Visit canadianlawyerevents.com/legal-tech for more details on the LegalTech Summit Canada. Tim Wilbur, managing editor www.canadianlawyermag.com 1 EDITOR'S DESK UPFRONT www.canadianlawyermag.com The predictability of unpredictable change ISSUE 48.01 | MAY 2024 Canadian Lawyer is published 2 times a year by KM Business Information Canada Ltd. KEY MEDIA and the KEY MEDIA logo are used under licence by KM Business Information Canada Ltd. CANADIAN LAWYER is a trademark of KM Business Information Canada Ltd. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reprinted without written permission. The opinions expressed in articles are not necessarily those of the publisher. Information presented is compiled from sources believed to be accurate, however, the publisher assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions. Canadian Lawyer disclaims any warranty as to the accuracy, completeness or currency of the contents of this publication and disclaims all liability in respect of the results of any action taken or not taken in reliance upon information in this publication. Publications Mail Agreement #41261516 ISSN 0703-2129 ©2023 GST/HST Registration #799898465RC-0001 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESS TO: CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT 317 Adelaide Street West, Suite 910, Toronto, ON M5V 1P9 RETOURNER TOUTE CORRESPONDANCE NE POUVANT ÉTRE LIVREÉ AU CANADA AU SERVICE DES PUBLICATIONS 317 Adelaide Street West, Suite 910, Toronto, ON M5V 1P9 KM Business Information Canada Ltd 317 Adelaide Street West, Suite 910 Toronto, ON M5V 1P9 tel: +1 416 644 8740 www.keymedia.com EDITORIAL Managing Editor Tim Wilbur Editor Aidan Macnab Production Editors Christina Jelinek, Karen Atienza Writers Angelica Dino, Bernise Carolino, Kiezzsa Cruz ART & PRODUCTION Designer Noel Avendaño Vice President, Production Monica Lalisan Production Coordinators Kat Guzman, Loiza Razon Client Success Coordinators Dyanne Dimatulac, Kristina Reyes SALES & MARKETING Director, Business Development Lynda Fenton Digital Development Director Kevin Shields Sr. Business Development Manager Steffanie Munroe Business Development Manager Jacquie Rankin Account Executive Mathew Oriel CORPORATE President Tim Duce Director, People and Culture Julia Bookallil Vice President, Strategic Event Development Chris Davis Vice President, Strategic Alliances John Mackenzie Chief Revenue Officer Dane Taylor Chief Information Officer Colin Chan Global COO George Walmsley Global CEO Mike Shipley EDITORIAL INQUIRIES tim.wilbur@keymedia.com NAUK SUBSCRIPTIONS CO-ORDINATOR Donnabel Reyes tel: 647 374 4536 ext. 243 donnabel.reyes@keymedia.com ADVERTISING INQUIRIES lynda.fenton@keymedia.com While these broad changes are inevitable, how technology affects market dynamics can be challenging to predict