In a profession that’s actively contemplating its future in the face of AI, legal organization leaders who demonstrate a genuine desire to invest in the next generation of legal professionals will undoubtedly set themselves apart
AI has the potential to transform work across various industries. Stanford University’s most recent AI Index Report reflects significant advancement in AI capabilities, as well as increased adoption rates.
The legal profession is no exception. The recent 2025 Generative AI in Professional Services Report from the Thomson Reuters Institute, shows that legal and other professionals are increasingly positive about AI, with greater feelings (55%) of excitement and hope, compared to hesitation and concern. Almost two-thirds of respondents (62%) said they believe AI should be used for work, and most (89%) said they can think of specific use cases. The report also suggests that as AI tools become more integrated into professional workflows, they’ll reduce costs and free up professionals for higher-value activities. Indeed, 95% of respondents said they believe AI “will be central to their organization’s workflow within the next five years.”
To me, this suggests AI has staying power.
As AI becomes more integrated into legal workflows, it stands to reason that the traditional training ground for lawyers and other professionals will narrow. Legal tasks such as basic research, first drafts of memos, cite-checking, and document review — once rites of passage for junior attorneys — will be largely automated. This is especially true with the rise of agentic AI systems, which go beyond prompt-based assistance to much more autonomous assistance. Some predict these digital agents will have the power to absorb entire tasks and orchestrate full workflows in the future.
In conversations I’ve had with law students and early-career attorneys, I sense a healthy degree of unease about this shift. They often ask:
“Will entry-level jobs even exist in five years?”
“Am I learning the right things in the age of AI?”
“How will I learn if AI is doing the work I’m supposed to learn from?”
As new lawyers search for employment opportunities, they may be looking for more than just a paycheck — indeed, they may want stability and growth potential. They may want teams that are investing in the future — not just the future of technology, but of people. They may look for leaders who are committed to training the next generation of lawyers, not replacing them.
What is the role of leaders in this evolving landscape?
Broadly speaking, I see three types of leaders when it comes to AI adoption:
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- Those who are eager to adopt AI;
- Those who are uncomfortable with AI and may resist adoption; and
- Those who are curious but unsure where to begin
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While it may seem obvious, the organizations and professionals that are AI-resistant could potentially fall behind as AI advances. But the hyper-enthusiastic, tech-first adopters may also risk missing something crucial: the parallel responsibility to develop the next crop of lawyers. If the pursuit of efficiency overshadows professional development, we could lose something fundamental.
How do we cultivate good judgment, for example, in an era in which AI could reduce opportunities for practical experience? If we optimize everything for speed and scale, how will the next generation of lawyers develop basic skills?
Leaders who understand the evolving landscape will be most effective in forecasting professional development needs, adapting training strategies, and attracting top talent that can excel alongside AI.
AI for productivity and for training
Could the problem created by AI also be solved by AI? With intention and vision, leaders might deploy AI not just to do the work, but to help teach it. These methods could include:
AI-powered simulations — What if simulations could help junior lawyers develop and test skills in a controlled environment? For instance, a new litigator might practice cross-examining a virtual witness, with AI offering real-time critiques on tone, evidence use, and questioning style. Or perhaps a junior lawyer could conduct a virtual negotiation with an AI tool that offers real-time feedback. Exercises like this could help build confidence and competence.
AI draft assistants that coach — Could drafting assistants go beyond offering clauses, and instead offer interactive drafting experiences? For example, AI programs that explain the reasoning behind certain clause structures, ask questions about the lawyer’s intent, or pose hypotheticals to help a lawyer think through the implications of different language, might help a junior lawyer prepare an agreement, and understand why certain language does or does not work.
AI as a Socratic partner — AI company Anthropic recently released an educational model for academic settings that asks probing questions instead of offering an immediate answer. Could a similar model train new lawyers, too? For example, before beginning legal research, a junior lawyer might engage with an AI tool designed to challenge their assumptions, test their reasoning, and probe for gaps in their logic. In other words, instead of jumping straight into legal research, the associate might begin by discussing their plan with an AI tool that pushes them to think more critically about the questions, helps them carefully consider the structure of their approach to the research, and perhaps identifies potential pitfalls. This kind of dialogue could foster deeper learning and sharper thinking.
If tools like this don’t exist already, they will soon.
The tools themselves, however, are not as important as a commitment to training and development. In a profession that’s contemplating its future in the face of AI, legal organization leaders who demonstrate a genuine desire to invest in the next generation of legal professionals will undoubtedly set themselves apart.
Looking forward
I don’t have all the answers — I can’t imagine anyone does. However, we can at least keep asking the right questions. How might AI transform the practice of law? What tasks might be most susceptible to automation? What aspects of our work lend themselves to automation, but should nevertheless remain in the hands of a human? What skills will be important in a future in which AI is increasingly integrated into our workflows?
Clearly, now is the time for critical questions and great legal leadership — the kind that fosters a culture of continuous learning and that recognizes training is not a cost, it’s an investment.
You can download a full copy of the 2025 Generative AI in Professional Services Report here
