August 1, 2025
AI Can Help But Can’t Replace Your Lawyer or Mediator
As we know, AI is a smart tool that can analyze data, identify patterns and provide insights faster than humans can. Experienced lawyers and mediators are just starting to learn how to use AI to enhance the quality of the services we provide to our clients. But as one renown retired judge mediator recently pointed out, AI can’t replace lawyers and mediators, especially when it comes to creating a divorce settlement. For example, she reported that AI could be used as a writing assistant but it’s documents “lacked style and energy”, important elements of a document designed to convince a judge or the other side of one’s position. And while AI could objectively evaluate information it received, it’s evaluation was lacking in the insight an experienced lawyer or mediator would provided.
She even asked ChatGPT “What are AI’s weaknesses in helping to plan a strategy for negotiation for mediation of a legal dispute?”
ChatGPT’s answer – “Lack of Human Judgment and Emotional Intelligence. In short, AI can support preparation-organizing facts, summarizing documents, exploring legal frameworks-but it should never replace human insight, empathy and professional judgment in crafting and adapting a negotiation strategy.”
As a reminder, the divorce laws in Connecticut give judges tremendous discretion. The outcome of any given case then can be heavily influenced by the specific facts of the case and the effectiveness of the lawyers in presenting the facts in the most compelling way for their clients. Before retaining your divorce lawyer or mediator, be sure to ask about the role AI plays in their practice, if any.
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