In the future, lawyers have been replaced with AIs. In 2016 their jobs are safe because they have specialized knowledge and can act creatively. Eventually, those will be traits that robots can also have, with the added bonus of not needing to be trained and having the appearance of impartiality (which is probably more important than actual impartiality).

Are judges also robots? I haven’t decided. A robot, you can go through their code and track down the logic of their reasoning. Maybe in this society, the people in charge are just as happy to keep the reasons for the decisions courts make untraceable as long as they get the “right” results.

↓ Transcript
Panel 1: Simon, while walking home: "AHHR." Bird: "This will not look good on your next case review, Simon. Expect furvver curfew restrictions. You may choose to have your priest or your lawyerbot present, as usual."
Panel 2: The girls gather around Maida. Zaynab: "are you alright?" Maria: "Are you sure you just tripped? He didn't hit you or noffing?" Maida: "Ugh. Sorry."
Panel 3: Maida: "I just blacked out for a minute. This is so embarrassing. I haven't done any serious running since..."
Panel 4: Maida, standing up again: "It doesn't matter. It's not your problem."
Panel 5: Maida feels dizzy and sits back down. Zaynab: "Ah!" Maida: "Woah. Dizzy still. Sitting down again." Maria: "What's wrong? Are you ill?"
Panel 6: Maida: "Oi. It's a long story. You sure you want to hear this?" Zaynab: "Of course!"