Protégé: Why AI is making this the best time in decades to become a lawyer

Amid unprecedented technological change in the legal profession, many young lawyers and students feel uncertain about their future. But David Fischl argues this worry is misplaced – in fact, he says there has never been a better time to enter the profession.

In a recent episode of The Protégé Podcast, host Grace Robbie speaks with David Fischl, legal digital transformation lead partner and corporate and commercial team lead partner at Hicksons | Hunt & Hunt, about his firsthand experience witnessing AI reshape the legal profession, why these shifts are creating unprecedented opportunities for junior practitioners to learn and grow faster, and how he expects AI to continue redefining the profession in the years ahead.

Fischl also delves into how AI is accelerating the career trajectory of junior lawyers by giving them access to more complex responsibilities earlier than ever before, acknowledges the uncertainty many young lawyers feel about the profession's future but notes that this mindset is shifting as they see the opportunities AI creates, stresses that firms aren't hiring for AI expertise but for curiosity and adaptability, and offers advice to young lawyers who feel intimidated by the rapid pace of technological change.