A Two-Tier Legal Profession Is Emerging Divided By AI Literacy

And Why Solo Lawyers May Be Most At Risk

The AI Divide Is Already Here

Some lawyers are already using AI.

Others won’t go near it.

Some are still arguing about whether it fits in legal work at all.

It is becoming increasingly clear that lawyers who embrace AI strategically, meaningfully and carefully will gain a real competitive advantage.

This is not hype.

It is already happening.

My concern is the emergence of a two tier legal profession.

On one side, we have lawyers who are confident using AI to deliver faster, smarter and more cost effective services.

On the other, those being left behind, outpaced by innovation that is already reinventing how modern legal work is done.

Clients Are Adopting Faster Than Lawyers

I am concerned that clients may be using AI more than many lawyers.

If we do not keep up with how AI is shaping their thinking and the risks arising from this, it will become increasingly difficult to properly advise them.

I worry about sole practitioners as well.

Solo Lawyers Face Unique Risks

Solo lawyers are especially vulnerable.

Working alone means facing the above alone and isolation makes it easier to delay, harder to adopt and quicker to fall behind.

Unless we lift AI literacy and proficiency across the legal profession right now, this divide will only widen.

This is why I support compulsory AI literacy education for all law students, legal professionals and lawyers.

In The Meantime - You Can Avoid It

I’m a solo lawyer. I’m busy and I also don’t have time to become an “AI expert,” whatever that even is but I do know that I need to know more than the average person about AI.

So I’m not letting what’s happening in the profession outpace me.

I give myself five minutes a day to get better to explore Generative AI. Five minutes. Every single day. Non-negotiable.

Why only five minutes? Because it’s easy. Some days I go longer. Some days I don’t.

Either way, I’m still making progress and building skills slowly and consistently.

All of the above adds up to at least roughly twenty five hours a year of confidence, competence, and future-readiness in GenAI for me.

This is how I make sure I’m not being left behind. And it works for me.

As a solo lawyer you have to quickly decide if you are going to be a passenger or a driver when it comes to learning about and using AI.