AI Arbitration and the Future of Legal Work, with Bridget McCormack

Lawyers are trained to spot risk. But when it comes to AI, focusing only on risk may cause firms to miss the bigger opportunity. In episode 623 of the Lawyerist Podcast, Zack Glaser sits down with Bridget McCormack to talk about AI arbitration, legal innovation, and why the future of legal work may be less about replacement and more about reinvention. 

Bridget reflects on her time as Chief Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court, including how the pandemic forced courts to adopt technology faster than anyone expected. She explains why that moment revealed both the limits of traditional legal systems and the potential for more accessible, user-friendly ways to resolve disputes. 

Now leading the American Arbitration Association, Bridget shares how AAA is using AI to build tools for clause drafting, self-represented parties, resolution simulation, and even documents-only arbitration. The conversation explores what fairness looks like when AI is involved, why human oversight remains essential, and how legal professionals should think about accountability, bias, and trust. 

If AI changes the routine parts of legal work, lawyers will need to rethink what clients actually need from them. This episode offers a practical and future-focused look at arbitration, legal technology, and the new kinds of judgment lawyers will need to bring to the table. 

Listen to our previous episodes on Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Legal Practice. 

• #612 – AI for Lawyers: What You Need to Know Before Your Clients Do, with Cat Casey Apple | Spotify | LTN 

• #607 – The Future of Law Firm Business Models in the Age of AI, with Jordan Furlong Apple | Spotify | LTN 

• #619– What Claude Means for Law Firms: AI Skills, Connectors, and Workflow Strategy, with Sam Harden Apple | Spotify | LTN 

• #590 – Innovating Without Overwhelm: Practical AI Tips for Lawyers, with Graydon Trusler Apple | Spotify | LTN  

• #587 – Future-Proofing Your Firm in the Age of AI, with Jack Newton Apple | Spotify | LTN  

• #577 – Rethinking Law Firm Growth in the Age of AI, with Sam Harden Apple | Spotify | LTN 

Links from the episode: 

https://adr.org/ 

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Chapters / Timestamps: 

00:00 – Introduction 

00:55 – Why Lawyers Should Test Their Own Intake Process
03:35 – Meet Bridget McCormack
04:25 – Leading Michigan Courts Through COVID
05:20 – Why Remote Court Was Already on the Radar
06:40 – Moving Trial Courts Online Fast
08:45 – Why Legal Systems Are Slow to Change
10:33 – From Chief Justice to CEO of AAA
13:18 – How Alternative Dispute Resolution Is Evolving
14:50 – AI Tools for Arbitration and Self-Represented Parties
15:57 – Building AAA’s AI Arbitrator
17:36 – Resolution Simulation and Faster Settlements
19:05 – What Is Left for Lawyers?
21:19 – Fairness, Bias, and Human Oversight in AI Arbitration
23:45 – Why Legal Disputes Need More Options
24:41 – AI Agents and the Future of Legal Infrastructure
26:26 – When AI Agents Negotiate Contracts
28:30 – Closing Thoughts 

Special thanks to our sponsor Lawyerist.