Karl Klein, a member of the Florida Bar Board of Governors and a Miami corporate attorney, said artificial intelligence is poised to close the access-to-justice gap by changing how people find and work with lawyers. In a recent Miami Community News Network interview, Klein discussed how AI is reshaping legal research and client intake while making clear that the profession's ethical obligations remain unchanged.
"I think in the future, you're going to see AI really overcome the access to justice system, this gap that we currently have in our society," Klein said.
Klein also addressed the boundary between automation and professional accountability. Even as AI tools draft documents or summarize case law, the attorney who submits the work carries the final responsibility.
"At the end of the day, the lawyer is responsible for their work product. It is them that's signing the dotted line," Klein said.
How AI is changing legal research and client intake
Klein said AI is altering how people find legal help, from initial online searches to document review. That shift matters for a profession where many residents never consult a lawyer because they don't know where to start or assume they can't afford one.
For legal professionals, the practical takeaway is that AI tools can handle routine tasks like summarizing discovery documents or drafting standard clauses. That frees lawyers for judgment work - negotiating, advising, and deciding strategy. Paralegals and support staff who learn these tools can take on more substantive work, which is why training in AI for Legal work is becoming a practical career step rather than an optional extra.
The Florida Bar's guardrails for AI use
The Florida Bar has issued ethics guidance for lawyers using AI, according to Klein. The guardrails center on confidentiality, competence, and supervision - the same duties that apply to any delegation of work, whether to a junior associate or a software tool.
Klein said the Bar's approach treats AI as a tool that requires oversight, not as a replacement for legal judgment. Lawyers must verify AI-generated content, protect client data, and remain accountable for what they file or sign. AI for Paralegals training covers exactly these boundaries - how to use automation for efficiency without crossing ethical lines.
Pro bono resources and the path to corporate law
Klein also discussed his own path to becoming a corporate attorney in Miami and pointed to pro bono resources for residents who need legal assistance but cannot afford private counsel. Those resources, he said, are part of closing the same gap that AI may help narrow.
Why this matters for legal professionals
For lawyers and legal staff, the interview signals a concrete shift: AI adoption is no longer hypothetical in Florida practice, and the Bar has set clear expectations for how it should be used. The professionals who adapt will handle more clients and more complex work; those who ignore the tools risk falling behind on efficiency and cost. The responsibility structure, however, has not changed - the lawyer signs the document, so the lawyer owns the outcome.
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