AI and the Future of Law

Can law firms redesign themselves for a world shaped by generative AI?In this episode, Jen Leonard and Bridget McCormack are joined by Sharon Crane, president of Practising Law Institute, for a conversation about Jen’s new book, Unprecedented: Designing a Human-Centered Law Firm When Everything Is Changing. Together, they explore why law firm transformation is difficult, how storytelling can make change feel more accessible, and why collaboration, human-centered design, and practical experimentation matter in the AI era.The conversation also covers PLI’s AI competency framework, the value of business fables, the history of the Cravath system and the billable hour, how Jen used AI as a writing partner, and what the future of junior lawyer training might look like.Learn more about Unprecedented: Designing a Human-Centered Law Firm When Everything Is Changing:https://www.pli.edu/catalog/publications/treatise/unprecedented-designing-a-human-centered-law-firm-when-everything-is-changing/447974In this episode:Why law firm change requires human buy-inHow storytelling can make transformation more usableWhy the current legal business model is not inevitableHow AI can act as a co-intelligence, not a shortcutWhat junior lawyer training might look like in the AI era

The legal tech market is growing fast—but is it a bubble, or the beginning of a new era for legal services?In this episode, Jen Leonard and Bridget McCormack are joined by Nikki Shaver, co-founder and CEO of Legaltech Hub, to discuss how AI is reshaping law firm strategy, pricing, technology selection, and competition. Nikki explains why firms are moving beyond efficiency as the main measure of AI value, how AI-native firms may challenge incumbents, and why agentic AI creates new governance and security questions for legal organizations.In this episode:How legal tech adoption has shifted since ChatGPTWhy AI value is moving from efficiency to qualityWhat AI-native firms mean for incumbent law firmsHow law firms should evaluate legal tech startupsWhy agentic AI raises new governance risksWhat Nikki expects next for the legal tech marketKeywords:legal tech, legal technology, AI in law, legal AI, law firm strategy, Nikki Shaver, Legaltech Hub, agentic AI, AI-native firms, law firm innovation, legal innovation, GenAI, legal tech bubble, future of law

What happens when AI agents start making contracts with other AI agents?In this episode, Jen Leonard and Bridget McCormack explore Legal Context Protocol, or LCP, a new open protocol designed to help legal terms become discoverable, verifiable, and connected to agentic transactions. Bridget explains why existing e-commerce legal infrastructure may not translate cleanly to a world where machines negotiate, accept terms, and complete transactions on behalf of people and businesses.In this episode:What Legal Context Protocol is designed to solveWhy agentic commerce creates new contract and ratification issuesHow legal terms can become discoverable, verifiable, and connected to transactionsWhy AI risk and legal-context risk should be separatedWhat general counsel and law firm partners should do now

Can AI help lawyers learn—or does it weaken the skills legal training is meant to build?In this episode, Jen Leonard and Bridget McCormack are joined by Daniel Schwarcz, Fredrikson & Byron Professor of Law at the University of Minnesota Law School, to discuss new empirical research on artificial intelligence and human legal reasoning. Daniel explains a randomized control trial studying how law students used AI to synthesize legal materials, apply legal rules, and revise legal analysis—and why some results surprised even the researchers.In this episode:Why legal training may prepare lawyers to use AI wellWhat the University of Minnesota study tested about AI and legal reasoningWhy AI-assisted students performed better than expectedThe risks of using AI for revision under time pressureWhat law schools and law firms should take away from the research

The latest Am Law 100 power rankings reveal a legal industry undergoing rapid transformation—driven by shifting demand, intensifying competition, and the growing influence of AI. In this episode, Jen Leonard and Bridget McCormack are joined by legal industry analyst Jae Um to break down what’s changing in Big Law. They explore the rise of “apex predator” firms, widening performance gaps, evolving AI strategies, and early signs of client-side disruption.In this episode:Am Law 100 power rankings and market concentrationThe rise of “apex predator” firmsAI strategy and firm-level competitionShifting client demand and pricing pressureThe future structure of Big Law

Artificial intelligence is moving beyond tools and into systems—reshaping how legal work is performed and delivered.In this episode, Jen Leonard and Bridget McCormack speak with Jason Barnwell, Chief Legal Officer at Agiloft, about the rise of AI agents, contract lifecycle management, and what these shifts mean for legal practice.They explore how some professionals are able to extract exponentially more value from AI than others, the growing importance of structuring legal knowledge into reusable protocols, and how contract data is becoming a strategic asset inside organizations. The conversation also examines shifting incentives, emerging career paths, and how legal education and training may need to evolve in response.Topics discussed include:AI agents and the shift from tools to systemsWhy some professionals get exponentially more value from AIContract lifecycle management and the rise of contract data as infrastructureThe changing role of lawyers from executors to system architectsLegal education, training models, and new career pathways

Artificial intelligence is beginning to test the boundaries of legal practice itself.In this episode, Jen Leonard and Bridget McCormack examine Nippon Life v. OpenAI, a lawsuit alleging that a chatbot engaged in the unauthorized practice of law by generating legal advice, drafting filings, and influencing litigation strategy. The case raises foundational questions about liability, regulation, and whether existing legal frameworks can meaningfully apply to AI systems.They also explore practical AI use cases and key takeaways from Legalweek 2026, including rising pressure to demonstrate ROI, rapid enterprise adoption, and the shift toward more advanced systems.Topics discussed include:The facts and legal theories in Nippon Life v. OpenAIUnauthorized practice of law vs. product liability frameworksThe limits of regulating AI through court decisionsLegalweek 2026: ROI pressure and adoption trendsPractical AI workflows using Claude Co-Work

Artificial intelligence is beginning to reshape one of the most foundational areas of legal practice: contract law.In this episode, Jen Leonard and Bridget McCormack are joined by Professor Dave Hoffman (University of Pennsylvania Law School) to explore how tools like Claude are influencing contract interpretation, legal research, and legal education. They discuss how AI can help judges interpret ambiguous language, what it means for the value of transactional lawyers, and why defining an “AI-ready” lawyer is harder than it sounds.Topics DiscussedUsing Claude to analyze law journals’ AI policies at scaleHow AI can support judges in interpreting contract languageThe changing value of transactional lawyers in an AI-driven worldHow legal education is adapting to rapid technological changeRethinking legal judgment, training, and professional value

AI recording tools can make lawyers more efficient—but what are the risks to confidentiality?In this episode, Jen Leonard and Bridget McCormack examine how AI recording tools intersect with attorney–client privilege, professional responsibility rules, and the evolving skill demands of an AI-driven workforce.Topics discussed include:How AI recording platforms may introduce third-party privilege risksState consent laws and the ethical limits of secret recordingNew York Bar Formal Opinion 2025-6 and deceptive practicesWhether recording changes how clients communicate with their lawyersThe risk of AI-generated summaries misinterpreting legal nuanceA risk-based framework for deciding when (and when not) to recordNew Wharton–Accenture research on how AI is reshaping job skills and compensationAI tools can improve legal work—but only when lawyers understand the boundaries that protect trust, competence, and confidentiality.