This Silicon Valley startup wants to replace lawyers with AI to level the playing field

With breakthrough technologies and advances in machine learning-based processors, improved algorithm and deep learning, artificial intelligence (AI) is beginning to come of age. We are just getting started. AI will continue to permeate all aspect of our daily lives from home to businesses. One startup is about to level the playing field. The company is a Bay Area California AI startup called AttorneyIO.  Attorney IO is a revolutionary artificial intelligence service for attorneys. “IO” is a computer science term meaning “input” and “output.” While the idea behind the startup may sound simple, it is their underlying technology that makes it superior to the legacy way of processing legal document. AttorneyIO allows any attorney to easily input legal documents for processing by our sophisticated AI. The AI then outputs a selection of stunningly relevant legal cases.

Today, the startup announced the release of legal artificial intelligence (AI) that will change the practice of law forever. Spearheaded by chief executive officer Alexander Stern, the company hopes to democratize the practice of law so that even the smallest firms can compete with the largest. “We live in polarizing times,” Stern said. “It is essential for the public’s faith in our rule of law to promote not just access to the courts, but also access to real justice.”

Their process if very simple. You simply upload your document and their AI reviews millions of legal cases in order to unearth important patterns and connections. Then, the AI laser targets the cases that are most relevant to your document. For example, you can upload a brief by opposing counsel and effortlessly find pertinent cases that their brief failed to include. You could also upload your own draft briefs to find additional authorities for your position. If you are preparing an appeal, make sure to submit the trial court’s order to see what the court overlooked.

Stern, an attorney himself, earned his Doctor of Law from UC Berkeley School of Law. He also studied under faculty from UC Berkeley’s School of Information. While at UC Berkeley he was taught the importance of delivering quality access to justice to a wide variety of people. By harmonizing modern technological innovations with legal practice, Attorney IO aims to revitalize a practice currently dominated by the parties that can afford the priciest firms. The company offers free options to pro bono attorneys.

Lawyers of all skill levels can click on their legal documents to upload them to the AI. Then, the AI compares them to millions of cases. This process is analogous to a human legal researcher spending many lifetimes in law school in search of the cases most relevant to the submitted document.

Attorney IO was built around the idea that courts do not automatically favor rich parties or expensive law firms. Instead, these parties can scale up their legal research and case strategy by adding more and more human lawyers. While two attorneys might not uncover a highly important case, a third attorney just might.

Below is a video of AttorneyIO works.