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 Law01:04 Meet Steve Embry01:42 Steve’s Legal Tech Journey03:51 ABA TECHSHOW Roots06:55 Information Overload Since ChatGPT09:28 Start With The Problem12:56 Avoid AI Hype Traps14:54 How To Vet New Tools16:55 Vendor Talk Vs Lawyer Reality19:55 Ask For Plain English21:54 Use AI To Simplify Jargon22:26 Where To Find Steve23:24 Closing And Wrap Up