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by Mei Tsang

Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto

One of my favorite anime series is Doraemon, a story about a robotic cat sent from the future to help a struggling ten-year-old boy, Nobita, navigate academic and social challenges. Created in the 1970s, Doraemon was ahead of its time in depicting artificial intelligence. The blue robotic cat wasn’t just a futuristic machine but a companion with emotional intelligence, guiding Nobita with wisdom, patience, and an array of ingenious gadgets.

Many of these inventions foreshadowed modern advancements—the Anywhere Door hinted at AI-driven navigation, the Take-Copter resembled today’s drone technology, and the Magic Pencil, which brought drawings to life, finds a parallel in 3D printing. What makes Doraemon especially relevant today isn’t just its predictive power, but its portrayal of AI as a deeply integrated, flawed, and human-like presence. Doraemon had fears, preferences, and limitations, reinforcing that AI, for all its advancements, remains a tool requiring human judgment, responsibility, and ethical oversight.

Fast forward fifty years and today’s AI—from neural interfaces to instant translation earbuds—reflects many of these early imaginings. With this rapid advancement comes the responsibility to integrate AI in ways that uphold ethical and legal standards. Recognizing this, the OCBA’s AI Task Force was created to educate lawyers on responsible AI usage, foster collaboration between legal professionals and technologists, and advocate for policies promoting transparency and equitable access to justice.

The legal AI market, valued at $1.45 billion in 2024, is expected to grow exponentially, underscoring the necessity for the legal profession to stay ahead of both technological and ethical developments. The Task Force’s mission is threefold: advancing responsible AI in legal practice, enhancing access to justice through AI-driven solutions, and fostering public trust in AI’s role in the legal system, where appropriate.

On June 14, we will host our flagship AI Symposium at UC Irvine, featuring discussions on AI’s role in discovery, contract drafting, practice management, and fraud detection. We are also launching a learning series on prompt engineering and hands-on AI training, collaborating with OCBA committees to explore policy recommendations, and publishing articles to keep our members informed. Our diverse Task Force includes in-house counsel, trial lawyers, transactional attorneys, privacy specialists, judges, and forensic experts, ensuring a well-rounded perspective on AI’s impact in law.

Two of our co-chairs, Eemaan Jalili and Arjun Sivakumar, exemplify this commitment to AI education and ethical integration. Eemaan, founder of Jalili Law, PC and AICounsel.law, and Arjun, a litigation partner at Brown Rudnick, have embraced AI tools to streamline their practices. Their shared goal is to elevate technological competence within the legal profession while ensuring that AI remains a tool for progress, not a replacement for human expertise.

While AI is transforming the legal landscape, it is also important to recognize the human communities driving our profession forward. May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, a time to celebrate the contributions and resilience of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI). Orange County is home to nearly 800,000 Asian Americans and over 22,000 Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, making up 26% of the population. Over the past decade, the AANHPI population in Orange County has grown by 47%, far outpacing the county’s overall growth rate. This demographic shift has fueled economic expansion, with over 78,000 Asian American-owned businesses generating more than $25 billion in revenue.

Despite these successes, many in the AANHPI community face significant challenges. Nearly 60% are immigrants, and over 35% are considered limited English proficient, highlighting the need for greater access to affordable legal services. Fortunately, organizations such as the Orange County Asian American Bar Association (OCAABA), the Orange County Korean American Bar Association (OCKABA), the Filipino American Lawyers of Orange County (FLOC), the Vietnamese American Bar Association of Southern California (VABASC), the newly formed Chinese American Lawyers Association of OC (CALA-OC), and other organizations provide essential resources, mentorship, and advocacy to bridge these gaps.

These organizations not only support their respective communities but also enhance the legal profession as a whole. Their work ensures that the law remains accessible, equitable, and culturally informed. From OCAABA’s annual Gala to OCKABA’s scholarship programs, from FLOC’s outreach initiatives to CALA-OC’s commitment to advocacy, these groups demonstrate how a broad range of perspectives and experiences strengthen the legal field.

Just as Doraemon offered Nobita guidance, support, and a glimpse into the future, we too must embrace the tools and knowledge that help us navigate an evolving legal landscape. AI will undoubtedly shape the future of law, but it is human insight, cultural awareness, and ethical responsibility that will determine how we wield it.

As we celebrate AAPI Heritage Month, let us recognize the invaluable contributions of the AANHPI legal community while preparing for a future where tradition and technology coexist. The future is here—it is up to us to shape it with wisdom, integrity, and inclusivity.

Mei Tsang, is the 2025 OCBA President. She also recommends checking out Galaxy Express 999, an old-school anime that remains relevant to our society today. Mei can be reached at mtsang@umbergzipser.com.