The digital age and the weakening of legal skills: impacts of automation and easy access on the training and performance of legal professionals

Abstract

The present study sought to analyze the impacts of the digital age on legal skills, investigating how automation and easy access to legal information have influenced the academic training and professional practice of legal operators. Through a systematic and critical review of specialized literature, the historical context prior to digitalization was initially addressed, when law was essentially based on manual practices and direct contact between professionals. With the arrival of digital technologies, however, the scenario has changed significantly, providing greater efficiency and agility in the research and development of legal activities. However, such benefits have also resulted in the weakening of traditional skills such as critical interpretation, original legal argumentation, and intellectual autonomy, as there has been a growing reliance on digital platforms and automated tools. Among the challenges pointed out, the urgent need to reformulate the curriculum in law courses stands out, incorporating digital technical knowledge without neglecting classic skills such as ethics, critical argumentation and analytical capacity. The survey also highlighted the ethical and operational risks associated with the excessive adoption of artificial intelligence in judicial and administrative decisions, emphasizing that these tools must always act under human supervision to ensure contextual adequacy and avoid possible discrimination and judicial errors. The importance of digital inclusion was also verified, emphasizing that the success of technological initiatives depends on the ability of end users to properly use the resources made available, demanding public policies for continuous training. Another relevant finding was the need to develop evaluative models capable of measuring both the mastery of legal technologies and the maintenance of an ethical and socially responsible legal practice. In addition, it was concluded that there is the importance of constant interdisciplinary dialogue between legal operators and technology professionals to ensure that technological innovations are aligned with the fundamental principles of the legal system. Finally, it was highlighted that the success of this digital transformation in the legal environment will depend on the integrated effort of educational institutions, regulatory bodies and professionals in the area, ensuring a conscious, responsible and effective evolution for the benefit of society as a whole.