Client expectations are evolving as quickly as the technology reshaping the legal industry.
In a recent Legal Innovation Forum webinar, AI as a Client Service Superpower: Driving Proactive Legal Work, we explored the rapid pace of technological change and the growing pressure on firms to adapt with intention and speed.
The discussion highlighted both the challenges and opportunities firms face in adopting AI, and explored the reality that clients are increasingly evaluating their law firm partners based on how effectively they leverage AI and data.
Our speakers agreed that firms that strategically capture client data and use technology to manage relationships proactively will be positioned to deliver smarter, more responsive, and more distinct client service.
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“We should be doing a great job of understanding what’s going on and using the technology available to understand what our clients are doing, what’s going on with the counterparties in a deal, everything that affects them,” said Richard Robbins, director of applied AI at global firm Reed Smith.
Demonstrating value
Technology is helping law firms close a long-standing gap between delivering excellent legal work and maintaining strong client relationships. Rachel Merrick Maggs, VP of customer-led growth at Litera, explained how the company’s Foundation Proactive platform surfaces a firm’s relevant experience and credentials to help lawyers clearly demonstrate value to clients. It also generates intelligent alerts about emerging client developments, risks, and opportunities that may require legal support.
By identifying potential needs early and prompting timely outreach with relevant internal contacts, the tool—which is powered by Postilize—helps lawyers stay meaningfully connected with clients. The platform makes it easier to uncover additional work across practice areas and ensures opportunities are not missed simply because busy practitioners failed to follow up.
“We have the rainmakers, and we have the non, and we’re trying to pull the nons up so that law firms can be really hyper responsive and hyper successful in this challenging, competitive day and age,” said Merrick Maggs.
Leveraging tech to stay informed
As James Wang, co-founder at Postilize, commented: “You used to just read the Wall Street Journal from front to back because you needed to be as well-informed as possible about your clients and bring these risks to them and be that person that knows what’s going on. Now, instead of reading the Wall Street Journal, you have to read a thousand newspapers a day to stay on top of these sorts of things. That’s impossible. That’s where the technology comes into play.”
Meeting client demands around AI
While some clients remain cautious about the use of AI in law firms, many are demanding it, with questions about AI-driven tools and workflows now regularly appearing in RFPs.
Using innovative technology presents a powerful opportunity to strengthen client relationships, particularly when it comes to knowing your client and understanding developments in the broader market. Robbins suggested that firms could be more aggressive in leveraging technology on the client relationship side, while remaining more cautious about deploying AI to perform substantive legal work.
This distinction is critical in terms of the risk profile. As Robbins said: “It’s a step-on-the gas, tap the brakes kind of thing.”
Adoption starts at the top
Encouraging lawyers to adopt new technology remains one of the biggest cultural challenges facing law firms today. Even with powerful platforms and valuable data available, integrating these tools into everyday workflows can be difficult.
At Canadian firm Caravel Law, reverse mentorship is allowing junior lawyers to help more senior practitioners understand and effectively leverage emerging technologies. As younger lawyers enter the profession with stronger digital fluency, they are increasingly playing an active role in helping firms modernize their approach to legal work.
“Gone are the days where these junior lawyers are shoved in a room with a bunch of banker boxes,” said Jacqueline Dinsmore, managing partner at Caravel Law. “They actually now have the opportunity to do a little bit more complex work, and they get to do this reverse mentorship.”
In fact, Caravel intentionally recruits lawyers who are entrepreneurial and have embraced AI.
“If we don’t have lawyers who are comfortable overseeing AI and technology, they’re going to get left behind,” Dinsmore said.
Whether you’re building a knowledge management program or introducing new AI tools to a firm, setting the tone from the top down is key. Training, setting expectations, and consistent reinforcement from the top will pay off.
As Robbins noted: “Leadership matters. The most successful programs I’ve been involved in, it’s because technology adoption was seen as a strategic imperative, and senior-most leaders said ‘this matters’. We do it every day and in every way. When that happens, you get success. If not, it’s just somebody’s pet project.”
Catch up on the first article in this two-part series to find out what clients really want in a tech-driven legal market.