According to computer scientist Andrew Moore , “artificial intelligence is the science and engineering of making computers behave in ways that, until recently, we thought required human intelligence.” There are a number of ways that artificial intelligence (AI) does and will exist in the practice of law. According to a, Law Technology Today, article, there are (at least) three ways firms can use AI: for legal research and due diligence; to review documents and contracts; and to predict legal outcomes. In 2017’s, Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Legal Practice, , author Gary E. Marchant states, “the use of AI in law will thus be an evolution, not a revolution. But make no mistake, AI is already transforming virtually every business and activity that attorneys deal with, some more quickly and dramatically than others, and the legal profession will not be spared from this disruptive change.” A recent article in, The American Lawyer, explains that AI isn’t coming, it is already here. The article’s author, Rhys Dipshan, said, “today, AI is the unseen engine behind a host of off-the-shelf legal technology tools. It is so embedded in products from e-discovery to e-billing and contract analytics to legal research that it’s not hard to see a day when AI becomes unavoidable.” As described, one area which has been, continues to be,…, How Artificial Intelligence Is Transforming Legal Research, by David Lat. While this article is presented by and focuses on Westlaw/TR products, there is similar use of AI in other legal research and legal technology products. Artificial intelligence is everywhere in life and especially in law. t’s hard to describe it all in a simple blog post but it’s also hard to imagine what the future holds. For that, talk to Richard Susskind . (We have several of…, Tomorrow's Lawyers: An Introduction to Your Future., )
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In February, the Roger Williams University Board of Trustees announced the appointment of the University’s 11th president, Ioannis Miaoulis, who transformed the Museum of Science in Boston into an institution of national and international prominence. He took the reins on August 19. During his career, Miaoulis has led large-scale efforts to spark passion for Science, Technology, Engineering and…, summa cum laude, from Tufts University in 1980. He earned a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1984 and a master’s degree in economics from Tufts in 1986. He received a doctorate in mechanical engineering from Tufts in 1987. Miaoulis recently visited the School of Law for a chat with RWU Law Dean Michael Yelnosky., Dean Yelnosky:, We just came from your first visit to the law school – attending our Accepted Students Day Diversity Breakfast. So welcome, and thank you for being here. How do you like the place so far?, President Miaoulis:, I love it. The energy is great. I had a chance to speak with some students, some faculty members; everyone has been wonderful. Of course, I’m not a lawyer. But there’s an excellent sense of something very interesting going on., MY:, And you’ve done some incognito research on the university as well …, IM:, Yes, I actually took two campus tours incognito. I also went into the dining hall and pretended to be a parent. And I wasn’t being totally dishonest about it, actually, because …, MY:, So you, are, a lawyer!, [Laughter], IM:, I stayed for three different lunches, sitting with different groups of students – men, women, sitting together and having a good time. And I pretended to be the parent of a prospective student and asked them, “So how do you like it here?” All of them seemed very happy with the university; they spoke very highly of it. And these were just ordinary students, not tour guides trained to say good…, MY:, I fell for you when you first told us that story. I thought, “This is the kind of spirit we could use.”, IM:, Well, how else do you learn about a place? At a university, the consumer is the product. So what better way to get the feel of it than to see firsthand the quality of the students who have been attracted to the university, and ask how they feel about it? In fact, one of the first students I sat and listened to was a law student. She was sitting with an undergrad student. It was a great…, MY:, Which is true, for the most part. And the fact that a law student was sitting and having lunch at the Commons with an undergraduate – that makes me think about the connection between the School of Law and the rest of the university. Maybe those interactions happen more often than we think they do., IM:, I think it’s terrific. We’re all one university. And the Providence campus seems like another great opportunity to expand those sorts of connections., MY:, Well, during their first year, it’s nice for law students to have a sort of real, classic academic experience here in Bristol. But we believe strongly in getting them out into the community, gaining experience. And the Providence campus is really the hub of the programs that get them out there. For example, our clinics are there. But let’s talk a little about you. What are you passionate about…, IM:, My two main hobbies are fishing and cooking. Incidentally, the first time I ever saw Roger Williams University, it was from my boat – and I have to say, what an impressive view. Narragansett Bay is, by far, my favorite fishing spot in New England. I have a small boat, and I used to take it to Allen Harbor, a beautiful place not far from Quonset. I used to fish all around there., MY:, When did you first develop a taste for being out on the water?, IM:, I have always loved the water. I grew up in Athens, Greece, and my parents had a small summer house right on the water, on the Gulf of Corinth. I used to spend every summer there, and a lot of weekends when the weather was warm – probably 16 hours a day on the water. I would swim, snorkel, sail, fish – everything., MY:, What do you fish for in Rhode Island?, IM:, Bluefish, primarily., MY:, I love bluefish. My wife won’t eat it. I keep telling her, “You’re missing out.” But I think bluefish has this reputation of tasting a little too “fishy.”, IM:, I disagree. As long as it’s fresh, you just clean it, put some Cajun spices on it, a little olive oil, put it in the oven – that’s one of my favorite ways to eat fish. Or you can make a nice sauce with good olive oil, lemon, a bit of oregano… just delicious., MY:, Nice. And do you drink wine or beer with that?, IM:, Beer while I’m fishing, wine when I’m eating., MY:, Rules to live by., [Laughter], A lot of the publicity surrounding your appointment as RWU’s new president focused on the STEM elements of your background. Could you talk a bit about the more liberal arts subject areas – in particular the law, and how your background prepares you to work with that side of the academic equation?, IM:, I feel that a well-educated person is one who appreciates and understands matters beyond merely technical skills. And it’s not just a matter of the curriculum; it’s the people you interact with, the friends you meet from other disciplines. When I got my master’s in economics, I survived classes like microeconomics only because my classmates were not as good in math as I was, and it’s very…, MY:, How does the law school fit into your larger vision for the university?, IM:, One of the many things that attracted me to Roger Williams was its determination to be the university the world needs now. And I believe RWU has all the right ingredients to become precisely that – a model for education. But we have to do it in a more visible way, so that we are noticed; so that our reputation expands. That’s the overall vision. As to specifics, I’m going to spend the next six…, MY:, Yes, we were one of the first schools in the country to guarantee clinical experience for students while they’re here. It’s an area where we have a tremendous amount of depth and we’ve been recognized for the work that we do getting students out into the community and getting experience on the one hand, but also providing really valuable services for individuals who would not otherwise be able to…, IM:, That’s very consistent with the whole culture of the school, and it positions us uniquely., MY:, Yes. The connections that being the only law school in the state provide to our students really distinguishes us from our competitors as well., IM:, And every year, more and more of your graduates are lawyers and judges, in Rhode Island and beyond. I hope to cultivate strong relationships with all of our alumni, because we need them to be connected; they’re part of the family. I want our students to see themselves not only as students, but as future alumni. They should feel that they are part of the future of the institution, and not just…
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