Peer to Peer: ILTA's Quarterly Magazine
Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/1544641
P E E R T O P E E R M A G A Z I N E ยท S P R I N G 2 0 2 6 17 AI is already reshaping how lawyers deliver legal services. Now it is beginning to transform how law firms build the very tools that power their businesses. AI-powered coding platforms -- tools like Anthropic's Claude Code, Cursor, and GitHub Copilot -- have lowered the barrier to custom software development so dramatically that non- developers inside law firms are building functional applications, automating workflows, and creating data dashboards without engaging IT or outside vendors. This phenomenon, colloquially known as "vibe coding," represents a meaningful inflection point in law firm operations -- and its implications for big law are only beginning to come into focus. The movement gained momentum in late 2025 when Jamie Tso, a senior associate at Clifford Chance, began openly sharing sophisticated legal AI tools he had built on his own -- tools that replicated functionality offered by major legal tech vendors, but customized precisely to his firm's workflows. In a January 2026 interview with Artificial Lawyer, Tso described how his journey began when the firm enabled no-code automation tools through their Microsoft subscription. Within weeks, platforms like vibecode.law emerged to showcase vibe-coded legal tools. CaseMark launched its Thurgood platform to help turn prototypes into production-grade software, and conversations at legal tech PEOPLE, PROMPTS, AND PRODUCT: The "Vibe Coding" Revolution in Big Law FEATURES BY PAUL GIEDRAITIS conferences shifted from skeptical dismissal to spirited debate about whether this represented the future of legal software development. Vibe coding represents a structural shift in how law firms build technology -- one that will reshape procurement models, redefine operational roles, and create competitive advantages for firms that balance rapid citizen development with appropriate governance. There is both transformative potential and significant risks in democratizing software development within law firm businesses, from legal operations and knowledge management to client-facing legal services delivery.