Peer to Peer: ILTA's Quarterly Magazine
Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/1544492
96 For now, machines are far from achieving the reasoning, perception, and problem solving of a human being. That means AI likely will not replace attorneys anytime soon, but lawyers who use AI may replace lawyers who do not. CHANGE MANAGEMENT AND WORKFORCE ENABLEMENT Adoption requires training, communication, and workflow redesign to ensure users trust and effectively use AI-enabled tools. According to the Thomson Reuters 2025 Future of Professionals Report, 80% of professionals believe AI will have a high or transformational impact within five years, but only 38% expect to see significant change in their organization in the next year. How do we bridge the gap between future aspiration and current usage? Two common hurdles are: 1) Resistance to change 2) Convincing people there is nothing inherently improper about using technology in legal work The key is to balance the capabilities and limitations of the tools against ethical duties. One method is to treat AI tools as "AI assistants" to help accomplish tasks, subject to the same verification and supervision needed as any human support resource. For organizations, education is central to successful AI adoption. Shifting the mindset from fear to empowerment allows attorneys to see AI as a means to streamline processes, reduce routine work, and focus on higher-value skills such as judgment, creativity, and client partnership. For now, machines are far from achieving the reasoning, perception, and problem solving of a human being. That means AI likely will not replace attorneys anytime soon, but lawyers who use AI may replace lawyers who do not. At my firm, one resource that has been implemented to empower AI users is a centralized "AI Innovation Hub" designed to promote widely accessible knowledge sharing. Concise and practical training opportunities are also offered, both live and on demand. By making education very approachable for practitioners who are always on the move, the usage of key AI tools has increased roughly 30-40%. User feedback is equally important when navigating technology change. Successful adoption is iterative. Without structured mechanisms to capture experiences on the front line, even promising implementations lose momentum and fail to deliver long-term value.