The recent 2025 EY LAW General Counsel study surveyed 1,000 General Counsel and Chief Legal Officers from organizations across 21 countries to gain insights into how they are innovating and keeping pace with changing demands and global pressures. Perhaps surprisingly, less than one-third of the surveyed in-house legal departments are implementing Gen AI in their legal work for specific use cases. The report also notes that while 56% are still experimenting with Gen AI, obstacles such as costs (budget reductions), determining use cases, data transparency and organization, play a significant role in limited AI implementations. The AI issue points to a larger problem for in-house legal teams: inadequate planning. While 75% of legal departments conduct some degree of annual planning, most do not undertake deeper assessments that can help them prioritize their critical challenges. Also, less than half have documented their operating strategy and goals, while just 20% have established a continuous feedback cycle for ongoing operating model improvements.

The 16-page complementary study also offers valuable insights into in-house spending trends, talent acquisition and retention strategies, and the most effective initiatives for addressing regulatory change and compliance challenges. 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐲 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐤: https://lnkd.in/eWr5JkVi

A recent KMWorld article on how change management can address and help remove organizational silos got our attention. According to the author, siloed departments often lead to inconsistent messaging, service delivery, and customer interactions. By promoting cross-departmental collaboration and alignment, organizations can ensure a seamless and consistent client experience. Of the 10 strategies listed to help companies dismantle silos and facilitate effective change management, the following rang truest:

𝐄𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: Establish a digital knowledge base with tagging and search functionalities to make information easily accessible.

𝐔𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐓𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐬: Provide employees with integrated technologies, such as KM platforms, shared dashboards, and project management tools, to streamline workflows and enhance information sharing.

𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐠𝐞: Develop a standardized glossary for the organization to avoid jargon and acronyms. Implement training sessions to familiarize teams with this terminology.

𝐀𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐥𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐤: https://lnkd.in/eB3XuZcc

Over 15 years ago, Richard Susskind’s bestseller 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘌𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘓𝘢𝘸𝘺𝘦𝘳𝘴? challenged legal professionals to rethink the very nature of legal services and offered a bold vision for the future of the profession. The book raised uncomfortable questions and prompted much-needed reflection and reassessment across the legal industry.

In his latest work, Richard Susskind on 𝐴𝐼 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝐿𝑎𝑤𝑦𝑒𝑟𝑠: 𝐴 𝑅𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑒𝑤 𝑜𝑓 ‘𝐻𝑜𝑤 𝑡𝑜 𝑇ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑘 𝐴𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝐴𝐼’, the renowned author and legal tech expert offers clear guidance on understanding AI’s growing impact on the legal profession.

As Attorney at Work recently noted, “the book does double duty as a confidence booster for lay people and a reality check for insiders who may be over- or under-reacting to recent generative AI breakthroughs.”

This 224-page, nine-chapter crash course on AI for the legal field explores AI’s past, present, and future, key technologies, process versus outcome distinctions, common misnomers, and critical issues like risk and ethics.

For legal professionals developing strategy in a generative AI era, this book is essential reading.

How To Think About AI: A Guide For The Perplexed: https://lnkd.in/epyYc-Ek

Book Review: https://lnkd.in/eAB3wxKJ

The Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) Foundation recently released its 2025 State of Cybersecurity Report, spotlighting the growing role of Chief Legal Officers (CLOs) in leading cybersecurity risk management. Cybersecurity is no longer simply an IT or governance issue, with CLOs increasingly involved in cybersecurity teams, reflecting the legal implications of cybersecurity breaches.

Legal departments are increasingly staffing dedicated cybersecurity counsel, a clear sign of proactive risk management. Complementing this trend, most organizations now mandate employee cybersecurity training, with legal teams guiding policy development.

Legal departments are increasingly evaluating vendor cybersecurity practices as part of training and security awareness, acknowledging that third-party breaches can pose serious risks. Also, a notable increase in written cybersecurity incident response plans reflects the importance of structured response strategies.

The 57-page report includes valuable metrics and benchmarks, available as a complimentary download. Link Report: https://lnkd.in/eWEZZBZW

In-depth research on midsize law firms is rare, which makes Actionstep’s newly released 2025 𝑈𝑆 𝑀𝑖𝑑𝑠𝑖𝑧𝑒 𝐿𝑎𝑤 𝐹𝑖𝑟𝑚 𝑃𝑟𝑖𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑒𝑠 𝑅𝑒𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡 a must-read.

According to Lawsites (Robert Ambrogi), 87% of midsize firm professionals believe investing in cutting-edge tech is critical to their firm’s future, with AI playing a growing role. While 30% already see high value in AI, that number is expected to jump to 54%.

The report also highlights a key challenge: the average professional uses 6.6 different tech tools to manage a single client matter. This fragmentation leads to inefficiencies and data issues that impact client service and firm productivity.

️▪73% say their current tech doesn’t align with how they work
️▪83% lack confidence that client or matter data is accurate when accessed
The 25-page report offers insight into how firms adapt—and where opportunities lie. It’s worth a closer look and download.

Report link: https://lnkd.in/eVCZyF3a

Affinity Consulting Group recently contributed a timely article to Attorney at Work, addressing some of the most pervasive myths surrounding the use of AI in the legal profession. While artificial intelligence tools evolve rapidly, misconceptions remain about their capabilities, risks, and appropriate use. Here are a few key takeaways:

𝙈𝒚𝙩𝒉: 𝘼𝑰 𝒘𝙞𝒍𝙡 𝙧𝒆𝙥𝒍𝙖𝒄𝙚 𝙡𝒂𝙬𝒚𝙚𝒓𝙨.
Reality: Tools like Microsoft Copilot and ChatGPT can streamline administrative tasks, but they lack the legal reasoning, contextual understanding, and ethical judgment required to practice law. These technologies are here to assist—not replace—legal professionals.

𝑴𝙮𝒕𝙝: 𝑶𝙣𝒍𝙮 𝙩𝒆𝙘𝒉 𝒆𝙭𝒑𝙚𝒓𝙩𝒔 𝒄𝙖𝒏 𝒖𝙨𝒆 𝑨𝙄.
Reality: Many lawyers are already engaging with AI through tools like Outlook and Word, which integrate AI functionality seamlessly. No specialized training is required to begin leveraging these efficiencies.

𝑴𝙮𝒕𝙝: 𝑼𝙨𝒊𝙣𝒈 𝑨𝙄 𝙥𝒖𝙩𝒔 𝒚𝙤𝒖 𝒂𝙩 𝙧𝒊𝙨𝒌 𝒘𝙞𝒕𝙝 𝙩𝒉𝙚 𝘽𝒂𝙧.
Reality: The ABA and several state bars have issued guidance supporting the ethical use of AI, emphasizing the importance of oversight, confidentiality, and professional discretion.

As AI becomes more embedded in legal workflows, it’s essential to approach it with informed caution, balancing innovation with ethical responsibility. Be driven by practicality and innovation when embracing AI tools, not fear.

Article Link: https://bit.ly/42V3ZVe

Everyone seems to be in the market for generative AI tools, and the legal industry is no exception. Thanks to the legal solutions directory and advisory company Legaltech Hub (LTH) for compiling and updating all offerings incorporating generative AI. The interactive snapshot features 505 GenAI products across 18 categories — a mind-boggling number, especially from a buyer’s, training, and support perspective.

Since the AI map’s latest update in February, AI legal assistant, contracts, litigation, and research have been the most popular GenAI solutions. The categories that saw the most significant relative growth (by percentage) were People (+400%), Compliance, eDiscovery, and Legal Ops (all +50%).

Undoubtedly, the pace of innovation will continue to accelerate, with more providers and AI ‘point solutions’ entering the fray before the market self-corrects and mass consolidation follows. According to LTH, the interactive GenAI Legal Tech map will be updated quarterly, with the next version expected in late June 2025.

Interactive Shapshot: https://lnkd.in/eD8wJATS

The European Union’s AI Act, enforced since August 2024, reshapes workplace requirements and puts AI literacy in the spotlight. A recent KnowBe4 post highlights a key mandate: Organizations must provide adequate AI training to staff and operators. This training must consider technical expertise, experience, educational background, and the specific context in which AI systems are used.

How is your organization preparing for these new compliance and skill-building requirements as AI becomes integral to business operations?

Without a clear definition of “adequate” AI training, KnowBe4 offers best practices to guide organizations in building effective AI literacy programs. Since one size does not fit all, training should be tailored to include technical, administrative, and nontechnical staff and company leadership. But AI literacy isn’t just about compliance—its value lies in fostering a strong security culture that safeguards the organization and its employees.

By implementing comprehensive, role-based training beyond baseline compliance, companies can proactively shape an AI-driven future—starting today.

Link to Overview of the European Union’s AI Act: https://lnkd.in/evXkP3KV

AI Anxiety: Is It Real? A recent post from Attorney at Work explores a growing concern in the legal industry: AI anxiety. While generative AI (GenAI) adoption among law firms and in-house legal teams continues to make headlines, hesitation remains.

According to a recent Thomson Reuters survey, 85% of respondents believe adopting AI will require learning new skills and taking on new roles. Additionally, 71% recognize that integrating AI demands adapting to change. The reality? There’s no turning back when it comes to GenAI. The good news: The article offers practical tips to make the transition to AI smoother and less stressful. Feeling comfortable with AI starts with understanding the unique challenges law firms and corporate legal departments face—and how AI can help resolve them. As the author aptly states, “𝐴𝐼 𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑘 𝑎𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢, 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑟𝑒𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢.”

When legal professionals become comfortable infusing their work with AI, discussions about its role and potential become more natural and productive. Like any new technology, success with GenAI hinges on providing proper training. One essential focus area is developing proficiency in prompt writing to engage with GenAI successfully. The article introduces BARCODE, a helpful acronym designed to support legal professionals in crafting effective prompts.

AI is here to stay—understanding how to work with it, not against it, is the way forward.

Attorney at Work Post Link: https://lnkd.in/eXnkBYht