*By Magno Alves
Currently, we are witnessing a growing global concern with the balance between progress and extraction of limited resources, manifested in sustainable practices and ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) standards. Research by the UN Global Compact, in collaboration with consultancy Stilingue, revealed that around 78% of companies incorporate ESG criteria into their strategies, while approximately 59% include ESG actions in their budgets. However, despite the origin of this discussion being initially centered in the business sphere, it is now expanding its horizons, demonstrating a growing importance and influence also in the social and legal.
The legal sector has faced significant challenges, such as the significant increase in cases, the high cost of the state judicial machine, the delay in resolving these demands, the lack of preventive measures to avoid unnecessary litigation and the difficulty in efficient management for social pacification. This situation creates an imbalance, negatively impacting the effectiveness of the legal system and affecting access to and effective delivery of justice.
Therefore, in the face of these challenges, the concept of legal sustainability emerges as an innovative response, aiming not only to mitigate current problems, but also to establish practices that guarantee efficiency, speed, accessibility, transparency and equity in the resolution of conflicts and legal disputes.
In this context, technology becomes an important ally, being able to provide means for the adoption of practices that allow better treatment of the legal problem existing between the parties, without placing excessive burden on the environment – such as the implementation of the electronic judicial process - , society – with the establishment of virtual conciliation hearings – and the state – with automation for categorizing and classifying actions suitable for judgment due to incidents of repetitive demands.
In this way, the synergy between legal sustainability and technological advances has increasingly represented an essential evolution to face the challenges that exist in the sector.
The role of Artificial Intelligence in conflict resolution
The rise of Artificial intelligence (IA) in the legal sphere represents a true revolution in the conduct of professional activities, and this transformation was no different in the legal world. AI tools have been essential for legal sustainability not only by helping to significantly reduce lawyers' operational time, simplifying complex tasks and streamlining procedures, but by facilitating the identification of the causes of the conflict, providing more accurate information that allows the parties to adopt measures to prevent the occurrence of new disputes.
AI is capable of providing more efficient and faster solutions not only for preparing the defense, but for predicting the consequences and determining the cost of maintaining the process. This preventive approach, more modern and adaptable to the specific case, has a greater chance of resolving more conflicts and optimizing the effectiveness of the legal system.
However, this transformation scenario is not free from ethical challenges, which signals the need for a careful analysis of its social and legal impacts. The lack of adequate regulation and limited understanding of how this technology works – such as algorithmic biases – can result in discrimination and perpetuation of prejudices. In this context, it is important to think about developing regulations that guarantee transparency and equity in the use of AI, ensuring the protection of individual rights and promoting social justice, helping to build a more ethical technological future.
Furthermore, the resumption of interest in the Metaverse in the legal field is a growing trend. Although there has been a temporary decrease in discussion on the subject, as technology advances, it is expected that the Metaverse will once again play an increasingly significant role in the future of the legal sector, expanding sustainability through virtual accessibility. In this sense, it is expected that the integration between AI and Metaverse will open new perspectives and present innovative and intuitive spaces for legal solutions, creating online environments that facilitate legislative resolutions.
The importance of Information Security in legal sustainability
Information security in legal sustainability is a crucial aspect to be considered. After all, when we address sustainability, we cannot neglect the need to guarantee the integrity and confidentiality of personal data.
From the point of view of companies and state agencies, investing in storage technology and data protection tools is a preventive action that should be strongly encouraged. Storing documents in the cloud in a secure environment from reference companies is more sustainable than on servers without any reference and spread across countries without any effective concern for data protection. In this sense, the implementation of rules and protocols, especially in the areas of Information Security (IS) and cybersecurity, contributes significantly to the sustainability of legal governance.
Therefore, by seeking to protect information in a safe and economically viable way, companies and public bodies not only mitigate risks related to leaks or data loss, avoiding unnecessary litigation, but also adopt a responsible stance in relation to resources, avoiding waste. , strengthening legal sustainability and creating essential pillars for the perpetuation of integrity and trust in the digital environment.
Paperless culture as an ally in sustainability
Paperless culture in the legal field plays an essential role in promoting transparency and ensuring data security. By eliminating dependence on paper, this approach allows documents to be easily shared and accessed by multiple stakeholders simultaneously, eliminating the need for physical handling and the risk of loss or mishandling. Additionally, by digitizing documents, organizations can implement more robust cybersecurity measures, protecting sensitive data more effectively, strengthening trust in the legal system, and reducing the risks of security breaches and information leaks.
However, the transition to paperless culture in the legal field not only drives operational efficiency, but also represents a significant initiative for environmental sustainability. By reducing dependence on paper, this practice contributes to preserving the environment, reducing the need for raw materials and minimizing the carbon footprint associated with the production, transport and disposal of paper.
In addition to the environmental benefits, paperless culture also brings notable economic advantages, reducing the costs associated with purchasing and storing paper and optimizing the effective management of legal processes. After all, document scanning simplifies the search, organization and sharing of information.
In this sense, accessibility is a crucial point in the adoption of this culture, since, through digital platforms, documents and processes become accessible with just a few clicks, eliminating physical travel and reducing the emission of pollutants generated by cars. Thus, the path towards legal sustainability passes directly through paperless culture, promoting more efficient law, committed to the environment and accessible to everyone.
In short, given this scenario, it becomes clear that the intersection between technology and law plays an essential role in building a more ethical, sustainable and equitable world. As we commit to implementing sustainable practices and technological innovations in the legal field, we are modernizing the legal system, promoting access to justice, strengthening transparency and efficiency, and ensuring the protection of individual rights. Therefore, we must continue to explore this field and promote legal optimization in order to contribute to a more promising future aligned with sustainability.
*Magno Alves is Director of the Legal Vertical at Benner Group, a company that offers business management software and technology services to revolutionize and simplify business.
Notice: The opinion presented in this article is the responsibility of its author and not of ABES - Brazilian Association of Software Companies
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