Textual Insights: What Can Computers Teach Legal Scholars About Law?

Legal research has historically relied on the manual and systematic study of authoritative texts, a methodology that has remained largely unchanged despite technological advancements. However, recent developments in natural language processing and other data-driven approaches present new opportunities for legal scholars. This essay examines whether and how these computational tools can complement doctrinal approaches and explores the potential of computational methods to enhance and transform legal scholarship. In emphasizing the compatibility of computational and doctrinal approaches, it argues that by integrating these approaches, legal scholars can make scientific discoveries beyond the scope of either method alone. The essay concludes by outlining the steps necessary for legal scholarship to fully embrace and benefit from these emerging technologies.