In New York Law Journal, Jeanine Conley Daves, Office Managing Shareholder and Board Member at Littler Mendelson, Michelle Gomez, Shareholder and Senior Director of Engagement & Development at Littler Mendelson, and Abdi Shayesteh, Founder & CEO of AltaClaro, examine how AI can be used not to replace lawyers, but to train them better.
The article notes that conversations about AI often center on automation and efficiency — drafting faster, reviewing documents more cheaply — but argues that the most significant opportunity may lie in using AI not to replace lawyers, but to train them better.
Drawing on the principles of deliberate practice, the articles outline an approach to legal training built on simulated experiences, purposeful challenge, and objective, data-driven feedback. These elements create structured, repeatable opportunities for attorneys to develop core skills and strengthen critical thinking.
The piece also addresses concerns around skill atrophy, concluding that the concerns point to a problem of implementation, not an inherent flaw in the technology.
Framed this way, the article positions AI as a tool for building expertise through deliberate, structured practice.