Explore 8 ways paralegals can use generative AI to streamline tasks, boost efficiency, and stay valuable, WITHOUT replacing human judgment.
If you’ve spent more than five minutes on legal social media lately, you’ve probably seen someone sounding the alarm: “AI is going to replace paralegals!”
At Knoxville Paralegal Services, we hear this all the time. And here’s our honest take:
That’s not going to happen.
Not now. Not in five years. Maybe not ever.
Why? Because legal work isn’t just paperwork and processes. It’s personal. It’s high-stakes. And it requires human judgment, discretion, and context that even the most sophisticated AI model can’t replicate.
But we’d be lying if we said generative AI isn’t changing the way legal teams work. It is!
We will be the FIRST to say that we are huge advocates of utilizing software in your practice to save time. (We even have a section of our newsletter dedicated to sharing our favorite time-saving software applications.)
The legal industry isn’t exactlyyy known for embracing change quickly. We know the smart move isn’t to fear AI. Instead, it’s to learn how to use it to lighten your load, save time, and serve your clients more efficiently.
We’ve pulled together the top eight ways generative AI can support paralegals and legal professionals, all while keeping you (the human who went to school for this) in the driver’s seat.
1. LEGAL RESEARCH & SUMMARIZATION
AI tools like ChatGPT and other specialized legal platforms can speed up your case law research, summarize lengthy opinions, and even organize your findings into digestible points.
🧠 REMINDER: These tools aren't always accurate. You should always cross-check citations, court names, and holdings before using any summaries in a legal doc. AI acts as your research assistant, not your editor.
Though we haven’t directly worked with this software, our research shows that CoCounsel would be a good option for legal research and summarization.
“What sets this tool apart is that it was trained for the law. Attorneys and AI specialists have rigorously and repeatedly tested this OpenAI-powered solution tailored to lawyers’ needs and reliable and secure enough to meet the highest bar.” (Source)
2. INTAKE AUTOMATION
Using AI to automate client intake can save both time and money. You can set up smart forms, route responses, and even generate basic client profiles automatically.
💡 TIP: Integrate AI tools with your case management system to reduce repetitive tasks and get new matters opened more efficiently. (More on this in #6)
3. DEPOSITION PREP & ANALYSIS
Some AI platforms can now analyze depo transcripts in real time, flagging key testimony and helping with follow-up questions or summarization. As a paralegal, you can use this to prep outlines faster and highlight critical admissions or inconsistencies — especially helpful when time is tight.
4. JURY SELECTION INSIGHTS
While jury selection remains a deeply human, intuitive process, some firms are experimenting with AI-powered tools that analyze social media or public data to support jury profiling.
📊 Use this for supplemental support, not as a replacement for your attorney's judgment. Please see this opinion article for further analysis: Ethical jury selection in the AI era
5. DAMAGES ANALYSIS
AI can help organize and project damages, especially in complex personal injury or civil cases. By inputting data points, you can get estimates on lost wages, future expenses, or comparative awards.
🔍 This is especially helpful in pre-lit stages or when preparing trial exhibits.
Our recommendation: Clio
6. TASK AUTOMATION
One of the easiest wins? Use AI to automate repetitive tasks, like:
Drafting standard templates
Creating email summaries
Renaming, organizing, and tagging files
Converting PDFs to Word docs
Scheduling reminders for filings or deadlines
🛠️ These seemingly small efficiencies can add up to major time saved.
Our recommendations: Clio or MyCase
7. TRANSCRIPTION SERVICES
Many AI tools offer speech-to-text transcription, which is a game-changer for hearings, interviews, or team meetings.
🎧 Pro tip: Always double-check AI-generated transcripts for accuracy — especially with legal names, jargon, and acronyms.
We recommend: TurboScribe
8. MEDICAL RECORD SUMMARIES
If you work in personal injury, med mal, or similar practice areas, you know how long it takes to summarize medical records. AI platforms can now help you sort, extract, and organize records to give attorneys a clearer picture of key events and timelines.
While AI can be a powerful tool for medical record summary workflows, confidential or sensitive client information — especially medical records — should NEVER be uploaded to public AI tools like ChatGPT or other non-secure platforms!
🩺 At KPS, we recommend exploring platforms specifically built for the legal field which are designed to meet higher privacy and compliance standards.
KPS will be putting Hathr.AI to the test, if it’s a good fit, we’ll be sure to report back! Though we have not directly worked with the following services, our research shows that InPractice or MediScan AI may also be a good option!
What AI CAN’T Do
AI isn’t great at nuance. It can’t weigh ethics. It can’t make judgment calls in high-stakes situations.
It doesn’t know when a record “feels off,” when a client’s tone suggests something deeper is going on, or when an attorney’s gut instinct should override the algorithm.
Legal professionals are entrusted with people’s lives, families, finances, and futures. That work should never be outsourced entirely to a machine.
At KPS, we believe the future of legal work is a partnership between smart technology and skilled professionals. And we’re here to help you stay on top of both!
A Friendly Reminder…
Generative AI isn’t the enemy of paralegals. It’s an opportunity.
The more you understand what it can (and can’t) do, the more valuable you become to your attorneys, clients, and firm. That’s exactly why KPS exists — to help paralegals and attorneys work smarter, not harder.
While generative AI can be a powerful tool in legal workflows, confidential or sensitive client information — ESPECIALLY medical records — should NEVER be uploaded to public AI tools like ChatGPT or other non-secure platforms. Always ensure any AI tool you use is HIPAA-compliant and approved by your firm’s data security protocols.
If you’re curious how these tools could streamline your practice or want help figuring out what’s worth implementing, reach out to our founder, Brooke! We’ve got the experience, the tools, and the real-world perspective to guide you through.
The future is flexible and tech-forward. Let KPS help you get there!!
If we haven’t met yet, I’m Brooke—founder of Knoxville Paralegal Services (KPS) and paralegal of 20+ years 😊 We are a contract paralegal company based in Knoxville but serve attorneys NATIONWIDE. We handle assignments remotely and as an “on-demand” service.
💼 Book your FREE consultation call today to see how we can support your firm modern software: HERE
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DISCLAIMER: WE DO NOT PROVIDE PARALEGAL SUPPORT TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. WE ARE NOT ATTORNEYS. WE ARE NOT TRAINED, QUALIFIED, OR ALLOWED BY LAW TO GIVE LEGAL ADVICE.
