By Erin Harrison, CCO + Founding Partner
The legal industry has officially moved past the “honeymoon phase” of AI experimentation. At this year’s Legalweek, a powerhouse panel of leaders gathered to discuss a landscape that has shifted from “What is ChatGPT?” to “How do we re-engineer the very foundation of legal practice?”
This session shared insights from Law.com Pro’s current industry analysis to explore what lies ahead. Bringing together experts from law firms, in-house legal departments, technology providers, ALSPs, legal operations, and big data, the discussion examined how the legal profession – and the delivery of legal services – is likely to evolve over the next five to 10 years.
Speakers included: Samantha Chaifetz, Partner, DLA Piper; Catherine Krow, Managing Director of Diversity & Impact Analytics, BigHand; Liz Lugones, VP, Value Experience, Mitratech; Rachel Zahorsky, Vice President, Client Engagement, Harbor Global; Stephanie Curcio, CEO and Co-Founder, NLPatent; and Jasmine Sims, VP, Global Legal Operations and Contracts, IBM. Tomek Jankowski, Director, Pacesetter Research, ALM Global, moderated the panel discussion.
1. Beyond the Bot: AI as a Foundation, Not a Layer
One of the most resonant themes of the session was that AI cannot “shine” without a structural overhaul. Lugones emphasized that firms are finally recognizing that a strong foundation of data and optimized behavior is critical to making AI valuable.
For Chaifetz of DLA Piper, this has meant an unexpected shift in her role. As an appellate litigator, she noted that her “bingo card” didn’t originally include spending significant time on the engineering of workflows. Today, however, DLA Piper is moving toward highly customized tools — like their work with Harvey — to ensure workflows are designed by those “deep in that world” rather than generic tech overlays.
2. The Humanities and the Human X-Factor
As AI often handles manual, task-based work, the panel agreed that the human element is making a massive comeback.
- The Design Mindset: Zahorsky noted that AI outputs are still largely based on male-dominated precedents. We are now at a point where women in legal can dream up new outcomes and design technology to achieve them.
- Storytelling over Techie Talk: The panel urged professionals to stop speaking “techie” and start speaking about impact. Data should be used to tell a human story that informs strategic decisions.
3. The Great Equalizer for Women and the Next Generation
The session took a vulnerable turn when discussing the experience of being a woman in law today. While the macro numbers for equity partners remain stubbornly low (around 22%), Krow observed that the uncertainty of AI has become a “great equalizer.” The old “bravado” in the room is breaking, replaced by a vulnerability that invites more voices to the table to design the future.
Curcio highlighted a generational shift, noting that younger professionals have AI “in their DNA.” This generation doesn’t just see AI as a way to “do more with less,” but as a foundational tool to enrich their lives and improve work quality.
4. The Economic Inflection Point: AFAs and “Success Fees”
Perhaps the biggest elephant-in-the-room topic was the shift in how legal work is priced. Sims of IBM noted that corporate boards are mandating cost cuts, and outside counsel spend is the primary lever.
- The Death of the Pilot: Firms have largely moved past internal efficiency pilots and are now focusing AI efforts entirely on client-facing work.
- Outcome-Based Pricing: We are seeing a dramatic uptick in Alternative Fee Arrangements (AFAs), and specifically in “success fees,” over the past several months.
- The Role of Pricing Professionals: Pricing experts are now at the center of change management, tasked with turning AI-driven value into sustainable business models.
As we shift from experimentation to engineering, the most successful organizations will be those that marry AI-driven efficiency with the power of human judgment. The honeymoon phase may be over, but an era of intentional, value-driven transformation awaits.