Glossary of Common Tech Terms

This glossary is a living informational resource intended to support understanding of key technology and AI terms. It was created to accompany the Legal Aid GenAI Maturity Model. The glossary contains common technology terms, plain-language definitions, and legal aid-specific examples. If you have suggestions for other terms to add, please email us.

Where product examples are linked, they are provided solely for illustrative purposes and do not constitute State Bar endorsement. Suggestions for additional terms may be directed to mj Joyce Smith, Legal Aid Tech Lead (mj.smith@calbar.ca.gov).

 

Agentic AI: Agentic AI is a subset of GenAI that enables systems to autonomously perform tasks or workflows without human prompting or human review. In other words, Agentic AI systems can complete a series of related tasks without needing a person to prompt each step. Because they act more independently than other GenAI tools, they require strong oversight and clear guardrails.

Example: AI agents are used in healthcare to help manage patient follow-up by monitoring information from a patient’s record or connected at-home medical equipment (e.g., blood pressure or glucose monitoring devices), identifying when follow-up may be needed, sending reminders or check-ins to the patient, and alerting care providers when human review or intervention is needed.

 

Application Programming Interfaces (APIs): Digital connections that allow different software systems to exchange information. APIs let tools share data automatically instead of requiring staff to enter the same information in multiple places.

 

Example: APIs can connect a legal aid case management system with other tools, such as an online intake form or a referral partner’s case management system, so client data can be shared automatically instead of entered manually.

 

Automated Systems: Tools or processes that complete tasks automatically based on predefined rules or instructions. Unlike GenAI, these systems typically do not create original content in response to open-ended prompts—they follow logic set in advance by people.

Example: Legal aid organizations can use an automated texting tool to send clients appointment reminders, deadline reminders, or follow-up messages based on rules set by staff.

 

Black Boxes: Systems or tools where users cannot easily see how an output, recommendation, or decision was produced. This can make it difficult to check accuracy, explain results, or identify errors.

 

Example: A child welfare screening tool may give a family a risk score or priority label without clearly showing staff or affected families which information led to that result.

 

Cloud Collaboration Tools: Online tools that allow people to create, share, and edit documents and communicate in real time.

Examples: Microsoft 365, Google Workspace

 

Continuous Monitoring: Ongoing checks to make sure systems are working correctly, staying secure, and producing expected results.

 

Example: Regularly reviewing system logs, user feedback, error reports, or GenAI outputs to identify unusual activity, inaccurate results, or performance issues.

 

Foundational Systems / Processes: The core tools and workflows an organization depends on every day, such as email, document storage, case management, and security practices. Strong foundations are necessary before adopting more advanced tools like GenAI.

Examples: Foundational systems may include a reliable case management system, secure document storage, staff email, device management, and clear processes for storing, finding, and reporting on client information.

 

Hallucinations: When a GenAI system produces information that seems accurate but is incorrect, made up, or unsupported.

Example: A GenAI tool citing a legal case that does not actually exist.

 

Human in the Loop (HITL): A process where a person reviews or approves GenAI-generated outputs before they are used.

 

Example: Staff reviewing a GenAI-drafted client letter, intake summary, or legal research output before it is used or shared.

 

Identity Management: Tools and policies that control who can access systems and data within an organization.

 

Example: A legal aid organization might use identity management to give intake staff access to intake records, case handlers access to their assigned matters, and pro bono volunteers limited access to relevant case files—while automatically removing access when someone leaves.

 

IT Modernization: Updating outdated technology, systems, and processes to improve security, reliability, and compatibility with newer tools, including GenAI.

Examples: IT modernization might include moving from paper files and desktop-installed software to secure cloud-based systems, standardized devices, multifactor authentication, and tools that can integrate with one another.

 

Large Language Models (LLMs): GenAI models trained on large amounts of text that can generate, summarize, and analyze language. LLMs often power GenAI assistants and applications that create new content, such as text, images, or code, in response to user inputs.

 

Examples: OpenAI GPT-based models and Anthropic Claude models are examples of LLMs. ChatGPT, Claude, and Microsoft Copilot are GenAI assistants or applications powered by LLMs or other GenAI models.

 

Legacy IT Systems / Policies: Older systems or rules that no longer meet current needs and can make it harder to adopt new tools or integrate with other systems.

 

Examples: A legacy system might be an older case management platform that cannot easily connect with online intake forms or reporting dashboards. A legacy policy might require staff to store client documents on a local shared drive instead of a secure cloud-based document system.

 

Modular Systems: Technology systems built so that individual parts can be added, replaced, or updated without rebuilding everything.

 

Example: A legal aid organization could connect its case management system with a separate document assembly tool, such as Docassemble, so staff can generate documents from case data without replacing the case management system.

 

Multifactor Authentication (MFA): A security method that requires more than one type of verification before someone can access an account or system, such as a password plus a one-time code, authentication app, or security key.

 

Example: A staff member enters their password to log into the case management system and then approves the login through an authentication app or enters a one-time code sent to their phone.

 

Secure Infrastructure: The technology foundation that protects an organization’s systems, data, users, and operations from security risks. This may include secure networks, devices, cloud platforms, access controls, monitoring, policies, and regular backups. Backups are saved copies of important data or systems that can be restored if information is lost, damaged, deleted, or locked by a cyberattack.

 

Examples: A legal aid organization may use multifactor authentication, encrypted systems, regular backups, and security monitoring to help prevent unauthorized access to client data and recover critical information if a system is disrupted.

 

System Dependencies: When one system, tool, or workflow relies on another to function. Some dependencies are necessary and expected, but too many dependencies—or poorly managed dependencies—can make systems harder to update, replace, troubleshoot, or govern.

 

Example: An GenAI tool may become embedded across intake, case notes, reporting, and document drafting workflows. If the tool becomes unreliable, too expensive, or unavailable, the organization may have difficulty replacing it without disrupting daily operations.

 

Technology Sprawl: When an organization uses too many tools that overlap or do not connect well, leading to inefficiency and increased risk.

Example: A legal aid organization may use separate tools for intake, client texting, document drafting, reporting, and GenAI-assisted research that do not connect with one another. Staff may have to enter the same information in multiple places, manage different access rules, and track work across disconnected systems.

 

Vendor Lock-In: When an organization becomes dependent on a specific vendor, making it difficult or costly to switch to another option.

Example: A legal aid organization may build intake, document drafting, reporting, and GenAI features around one vendor’s platform. If the vendor raises prices, changes key features, discontinues a product, or ceases operating, switching to another system may require major staff retraining, data migration, and workflow redesign.

 

Webhooks: Automated system-to-system updates sent when a specific event occurs. APIs create the connection between systems; webhooks use that connection to notify another system that something has happened, without requiring staff to manually check for updates.

 

Example: When a potential client submits an online intake form, the intake platform can send a webhook to the case management system to create a new intake record, notify staff, or trigger a follow-up workflow.