AI and Law: FOMO and Practical Adoption

In this episode of the Law Practice Podcast, host Terrell Turner interviews Steve Embry, former mass tort defense litigator, legal tech blogger at TechnoLaw Crossroads, Above the Law contributor, and past ABA Law Practice Division chair and ABA TECHSHOW leader, about navigating the overwhelming pace of legal technology—especially since ChatGPT’s rise in 2022. Steve emphasizes that firms often adopt AI out of fear of missing out, even though generative AI isn’t right for everyone, and urges lawyers to start by identifying specific practice problems and then selecting tools that fit their needs and practice area. He highlights ABA TECHSHOW's uniquely welcoming, lawyer-to-lawyer environment for learning what tools actually work, recommends asking vendors to explain products in practical terms, and suggests using generative AI to translate technical explanations into plain language.

00:00 AI FOMO In Law
01:04 Meet Steve Embry
01:42 Steve’s Legal Tech Journey
03:51 ABA TECHSHOW Roots
06:55 Information Overload Since ChatGPT
09:28 Start With The Problem
12:56 Avoid AI Hype Traps
14:54 How To Vet New Tools
16:55 Vendor Talk Vs Lawyer Reality
19:55 Ask For Plain English
21:54 Use AI To Simplify Jargon
22:26 Where To Find Steve
23:24 Closing And Wrap Up

Visit TECHSHOW.com