Junior lawyers have faced a difficult job market for years, but concerns that artificial intelligence will eliminate their roles entirely are exaggerated, according to a paralegal working in both private practice and government.
Sai Muthukumar, who divides his time between Gilbert + Tobin and the Attorney-General’s Department, told The Lawyers Weekly Show that the discussion about AI replacing entry-level lawyers contains more speculation than substance. Competition for graduate positions has intensified, with more law graduates than available roles, but he stated that the technology still depends on human oversight at every stage.
AI produces errors, and people must correct them before work reaches clients or courts. Muthukumar explained that the assumption AI could function without supervision overlooks how deeply human review remains embedded in legal processes.
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This oversight serves as more than a precaution. It changes what junior lawyers are expected to do. Rather than spending early years on repetitive tasks like document review or basic drafting, new graduates will focus more on client strategy, relationship-building, and understanding the business impact of legal advice. The routine work isn’t vanishing; it’s being reassigned.
Junior roles aren’t immune to disruption, but the change resembles evolution rather than elimination.
Law schools may need to adjust their approach to training. Muthukumar believes future lawyers will require a wider range of skills than previous generations. “How students are trained in the future, in law school and beyond, will need to change to balance core skills like drafting, client communication, and relationship-building,” he said.
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This training prepares lawyers for a profession where technology handles routine tasks, leaving humans to manage the complex work requiring judgment.
For now, Muthukumar noted that the greater risk isn’t AI taking jobs—it’s the fear of AI discouraging students from entering the field. “Some of the concern comes from how advances in AI are portrayed,” he said. “Students should recognize that the role of a lawyer is simply changing.”
He will begin a graduate position at an international law firm next year, showing that opportunities still exist, though not in the same form as before.