AI is here to revolutionize your law firm, moving beyond simple prompts to actively handling your tasks. This Lawyerist Podcast episode is your essential guide. Zack Glaser sits down with Dr. Charreau Bell, a senior data scientist and assistant professor at Vanderbilt University, who's helping law students and faculty use AI in truly meaningful ways. This isn’t just theoretical—you’ll get real clarity on what it means to use AI well in your firm, right now. We break down the crucial difference between merely using an AI model and actually "training" one, so you understand what's happening behind the scenes. You’ll also learn when it's safe (and risky!) to send client data into cloud-based AI tools, and how you can even run powerful AI models right on your own computer for ultimate privacy. But here's where it gets really exciting: we explore how AI is evolving beyond simple prompts into "agentic systems" that can plan, reason, and act on your behalf. Think of AI not just as a tool, but as a proactive assistant that can break down complex tasks and execute them using various "tools" you provide. This isn't just about automating simple tasks; it’s about offloading work that previously required significant expertise, freeing you to focus on more creative and complex legal challenges. If this episode sparks questions about the data in your firm and how you can leverage it, check out the “free small firm scorecard”. It’s a quick assessment to help you get a data-driven view of your firm and identify areas for smart improvements as you embark on your AI journey. Listen to our other episodes about Artificial Intelligence: #555: How to Use AI and Universal Design to Empower Diverse Thinkers with Susan Tanner Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Lawyerist #553: AI Tools and Processes Every Lawyer Should Use with Catherine Sanders Reach Apple Podcasts Spotify Lawyerist #551: Becoming the AI Driven Leader, with Geoff Woods Apple Podcasts Spotify Lawyerist Have thoughts about today’s episode? Join the conversation on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X! If today's podcast resonates with you and you haven't read The Small Firm Roadmap Revisited yet, get the first chapter right now for free! Looking for help beyond the book? See if our coaching community is right for you. Access more resources from Lawyerist at lawyerist.com Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction: Beyond Simple AI Prompts 03:20 - How Data Science Helps Lawyers 04:32 - Automating Document Review and Information Extraction 07:10 - Understanding How AI Models Work (Training vs. Using) 13:25 - Secure AI: Running Models Locally and with Cloud Providers 17:16 - Training AI Models with Limited Data (Transfer Learning) 28:16 - The Power of Agentic AI Systems 34:24 - Interacting with Agentic AI and Security Considerations 38:21 - The Importance of Data Organization in the Age of AI 43:46 - The Future of AI: Automating the Unwanted
