Legal Tech & AI

Expert Analysis

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  Biz Development Tip Of The Month: Simplify Networking

  The hardest part of business development is building relationships without feeling awkward or transactional, but to solve this networking conundrum we ranked networking activities from the least intimidating to the most challenging and shared a small, workable action item for each, say attorneys at Irell.

• Tech Plays An Indispensable Role In Addressing Legal Deserts

  While building the Free Legal Answers platform, we have seen how technology can overcome barriers of time and space to make it easier for lawyers to help in legal deserts, meaning we must turn to big, bold measures, or the justice gap will continue to grow, says Buck Lewis at Baker Donelson.

• How Firms Can Develop The Next Generation Of Lawyers

  As law school graduates enter the industry after experiencing significant educational disruption due to COVID-19, firms can adapt to the new generation's unique circumstances by rethinking how they onboard and develop incoming attorneys — starting with summer associates, say attorneys at Taft.

• What Trial Teams Should Know About AI Jury Research Tools

  Using artificial intelligence for jury research is quickly becoming part of the litigation consulting landscape, and can be a useful part of a case assessment toolkit — but litigators must understand what these systems are built to measure, and what conclusions can reasonably be drawn from their output, say Bill Kanasky and Steve Wood at Courtroom Sciences.

• Closing The Gender Gap In AI Adoption: A Lawyer's Guide

  Amid a reported gender gap in artificial intelligence use, female lawyers should think about AI ownership as beginning with adoption, expanding into career agency and influence, and culminating in collective leadership directed toward the profession and the public good, says Tamara Kraljic at Hughes Hubbard.

• How Firms Adopting AI Can Learn From CRM Rollout Mistakes

  Law firms should learn from the challenges that have plagued client relationship management system adoption for over 30 years as they evaluate whether and how to implement artificial intelligence tools, says consultant Paul Manuele.

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  RFP Reset: Start With Client Service

  As clients increasingly expect the sophistication that artificial intelligence makes possible, law firms can use the proposal to adopt a client service mindset that delivers practical guidance the in-house legal team can use without translation, say attorneys at Stinson.

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  Legal Tech Talks: Notorio Co-Founder On Measuring Value

  Leonardo Lupiano, co-founder at Notorio, discusses the importance of establishing performance metrics, analyzing product usage and calculating the return on investment when considering whether to adopt a new technology.

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  Biz Development Tip Of The Month: Play The Long Game

  Lawyers who consistently maintain early-career and personal relationships, track contacts, and make thoughtful outreach over time will be better positioned to generate future client work, referrals and leadership opportunities, says Deborah Farone at Farone Advisors.

• 5 Due Diligence Steps For A Successful Succession Plan

  Instead of relying on abstract policies, firm leadership should develop concrete succession plans before rainmakers announce retirement that track which tasks intended successors are assuming, how the outgoing member is transferring their knowledge and whether clients are yet relying on the replacement, says Ronald Levine at Herrick Feinstein.

• 5 Ways Law Firms Can Build Lasting AI Visibility

  As generative artificial intelligence tools become embedded across the entire digital ecosystem, law firm leaders can build an enduring footprint with five factors that ensure their firms remain visible no matter how underlying models evolve, says Melanie Trudeau at Reputation Ink.

• Nonequity Partner Boom Forces Lawyers To Pick A Lane

  With firms increasingly offering the nonequity partnership tier, the position can become either a parking spot to help build a book of business or a permanent landing zone, and for those who want to become equity partners, business development matters more than ever, says Kate Reder Sheikh at Major Lindsey.

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  RFP Reset: Focus On Execution, Not Just Expertise

  Law firms that treat responses to requests for proposal as concrete evidence of staffing, budgeting, communication and project management discipline will be better positioned to win business from legal departments than firms that tout generic credentials alone, says LaResa Young at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

• 3 Ways Firm Leaders Can Nurture AI Fluency

  Lawyers can’t develop artificial intelligence fluency from continuing legal education courses, webinars or email updates, so firm leaders must foster conditions that are conducive to attorney learning if they want AI investments to deliver their promised return, says Adrienne Prentice at Keep Company.

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  Biz Development Tip Of The Month: Harness Client Trust

  Clients stay with counsel not simply because their lawyers follow the rules, but because they feel safe, respected and heard, making trust essential to business development, especially in high-stakes matters where reputational risk runs high, says Derrelle Janey at Olshan Frome.