CEO Update: Our Scholars are irreplaceable – especially by robots

Back in 2015, Bartier Perry launched a legal scholarship at Western Sydney University (WSU) to support the advancement and future of women in the law. 

A decade later, many law graduates are being told they don’t have a future in the profession at all.

The rapid emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) has prompted a wave of commentators and “influencers” to claim that most graduate jobs are set to disappear. Much of this commentary is being circulated via social media, now the primary news source for nearly 50% of Australians aged 18–25—meaning it’s a message that’s resonating with the next generation.

Recently, our Chief People Officer Nadine Cooper and I were honoured to speak on a panel celebrating 30 years of WSU’s School of Law. One of the first questions we were asked was about the impact of AI on all university graduates.

Our answer was clear: AI will transform the law—just as it will transform our clients’ businesses.

However, AI is not genuinely empathetic. It is not ethically driven. It does not possess negotiation, judgement or advocacy skills.

Legal graduate jobs therefore will not disappear—but they will evolve.

Lawyers will need to be technically proficient and have a deep understanding of the AI tools available to them.

Getting the right answers often depends on asking the right questions.

Yet those client-critical skills—empathy, advocacy and ethical judgement—are not machine-learned. They require us, as a firm, to amplify and invest in the frameworks that develop them in young lawyers.

This led to a second question: what should universities be doing to prepare graduates for AI-embedded workplaces?

Firstly, we believe legal technology and innovation must be embedded into core curricula—not offered as electives. Universities will also need to model continuous learning by providing access to short courses, digital platforms and peer learning opportunities.

However, our universities also need support to push back against populist voices who claim they are elitist or out of touch—commentators who use phrases like “so-called experts” when academic or scientific research doesn’t align with their opinions.

The law is grounded in intellectual rigour—not in vibes, popularity, or selective facts. And intellectual rigour depends on diverse views, perspectives, backgrounds and experiences.

Western Sydney University, located in one of the nation's most diverse and fastest-growing communities, perfectly reflects that.

That’s why we will continue to support the Bartier Perry Leadership Scholarship for Women.

And it’s why—despite what today’s online influencers may say—we believe in the long-term future and importance of investing in all graduates.

Author: Riana Steyn