P2P

40 A rtificial intelligence is reshaping litigation at a remarkable pace. In just a few years, law firms have moved from cautious experimentation to active deployment. As generative AI tools multiply across the legal technology landscape, firms are beginning to confront a new challenge: managing a rapidly expanding ecosystem of overlapping solutions. New tools promise faster document review, smarter chronologies, stronger deposition preparation, and sharper case strategy. For litigation teams under pressure to manage growing data volumes and rising client expectations, the appeal of AI is obvious. But this shift also affects CIOs, innovation leaders, knowledge management professionals, and IT teams tasked with rationalizing increasingly complex technology ecosystems. Legal technology historically follows a predictable pattern: disruption, rapid solution proliferation, consolidation, and ultimately standardization. AI in litigation management is firmly in the proliferation stage. In 2025 alone, the number of generative AI solutions targeting legal professionals nearly doubled. Many firms now manage a patchwork of standalone AI applications layered on top of existing systems. This proliferation is unfolding amid significant growth in litigation demand. According to BTI Consulting Group's Litigation Outlook 2026, 64% of corporate clients planned to increase litigation spending in 2026, with total U.S. litigation spend projected to reach $32 billion. Notably, spending growth is outpacing caseload growth, indicating that complexity, not just volume, is driving investment. When firms layer AI tools onto already strained systems, fragmentation becomes a structural risk rather than a temporary inconvenience. As the market shifts from proliferation to consolidation, law firms have an opportunity to reset their strategy. Firms that rationalize AI investments around integrated, adoptable, and governed platforms will not only reduce operational complexity; they will define the next operating model for litigation practice. The firms that prepare now by focusing on platforms, adoption, and governance will be better positioned when the market inevitably standardizes. FROM TOOL SPRAWL TO PLATFORM STRATEGY Litigation is inherently collaborative and lifecycle HOW LAW FIRMS SHOULD PREPARE FOR AI CONSOLIDATION IN LITIGATION MANAGEMENT by Beau Wysong FEATURES

• Cover