As attorneys, we are all acutely aware that we must adapt to the ever-changing technology landscape to stay relevant.

Although embracing automation is important for all lawyers, it is particularly critical for solo attorneys and those in small law firms, simply because technology enables small firm attorneys to do more with less. For example, e-discovery, contract drafting, legal research and other such tasks could easily consume an attorney's entire workload if not automated. For small and solo attorneys with limited capacity, dedicating this kind of time to this work is simply not an option. And with few staff, artificial intelligence, or AI, can be the pseudo staff member that helps small firms run smoothly.

Anyone who's been through law school knows that legal research can be especially time consuming. At big firms, partners have the advantage of associates, law clerks and paralegals who can perform deep dives into reams of legal records and emerge with the information needed to bring a successful case. For small and solo firms though, the luxury of this task force is often only a dream; each attorney must be responsible for their own legal research.