Agentic AI in Law: Striking the Right Balance Between Efficiency and Critical Thinking

Artificial Intelligence: Is Agentic AI a Crutch or a Springboard for Lawyers?

How to Ensure AI Sharpens, Not Dulls, Legal Minds

AI is transforming legal workflows, but the key is balance. Overreliance on AI or rejecting it altogether can both harm a lawyer’s career. Used strategically, AI saves time and improves quality of life for legal professionals in both law firms and corporate legal departments.

Think of life as a large circle, with work as a smaller circle inside it. AI sits as the smallest circle within work. If used wisely, AI can help prevent work from overwhelming life—creating what we might call an AI-work-life balance.

What Lawyers Can Learn From Language Learning About Using AI

Learning a new language is challenging and requires breaking down complex information into manageable parts. The same applies to AI adoption in legal work. Some lawyers fear AI or lack time to learn it, while others may depend on AI too heavily, risking mistakes in court.

Just as mastering Russian grammar takes time and patience, so does becoming proficient with AI tools. Lawyers can break down legal tasks into smaller steps that AI can assist with, while preserving core skills that require human judgment.

Dangers of AI Becoming a Crutch

Many lawyers are eager to adopt AI, but some misuse it by trusting AI-generated content without verification. This leads to errors such as hallucinated facts or false citations. Using AI without understanding its limitations is risky.

Research shows two key risks:

• Cognitive laziness: Overreliance on AI may reduce critical thinking over time.
• Skill degradation: Relying on AI for tasks diminishes practice that builds confidence and sharp problem-solving skills.

In short, leaning too heavily on AI can weaken essential legal reasoning muscles.

Efficiency Paired With Critical Thinking

AI can boost efficiency but also inhibit independent judgment if used blindly. Lawyers need honest self-awareness to decide which tasks to delegate to AI and which to handle themselves.

When lawyers trust their own abilities, they engage more deeply with AI outputs, steering and evaluating them effectively. Verification of AI-generated content, especially legal citations, is a critical first step.

Examples of a Healthy AI Work-Life Balance

Healthy AI use isn’t just about saving time—it’s about keeping skills sharp and making work more enjoyable. In legal workflows, AI should:

• Facilitate verification: Encourage checking AI results against trusted sources.
• Enhance awareness: Highlight risks and prompt lawyers to think critically.
• Boost motivation: Frame critical thinking as essential for professional growth.
• Provide adjustable assistance: Let lawyers control how much AI autonomy they allow based on task difficulty and confidence.

This last point is where agentic AI comes in. Unlike earlier AI that needs step-by-step prompts, agentic AI can independently plan and execute complex tasks under human supervision. Think of it as an autonomous conductor guiding an orchestra, handling routine parts while the lawyer oversees quality and strategy.

Agentic AI uses large language models (LLMs) to coordinate multiple tools, learn from errors, and improve over time. This frees lawyers from mundane tasks like initial case research, document summarization, or contract review, letting them focus on higher-value work.

Balancing AI Use With Skill Development

Just as language learning requires active participation, lawyers should avoid letting AI do all the thinking. Early-career lawyers especially need to build foundational skills through repetitive practice before relying more on AI.

Once critical thinking skills are solid, AI becomes a springboard that enables lawyers to handle more complex tasks efficiently.

The Real Value of Today’s AI Tools

Current LLMs excel in human-like conversation and autonomous task management. Think of an AI agent as a capable executive assistant integrated into your legal team. This changes how firms and departments operate and manage workloads.

Achieving a healthier work-life balance with AI requires both art and science. Leaders must distinguish between motivated lawyers who use AI to augment their skills and complacent ones who depend too much on AI. The motivated lawyer will deliver the most value, applying critical judgment, strategic thinking, and relationship-building—areas where humans excel.

For legal professionals interested in developing AI fluency and integrating these tools effectively, exploring specialized AI training can be a practical next step. Resources like Complete AI Training’s courses for legal professionals provide targeted guidance on leveraging AI responsibly and effectively.