Big Law Life #93: Making Partner in BigLaw in the AI Era
Today, the road to partnership involves more than billing hours and producing great work. It's also now about more than business development, firm economics, and client relationships. A new factor also driving advancement is artificial intelligence. AI is already reshaping research, diligence, drafting, and reporting. In addition, it compresses tasks that once justified entire teams of associates. That means the old BigLaw pyramid model is under pressure, and the skills firms now look for in future partners are shifting rapidly.
In this episode, I walk through what partnership track lawyers need to know about AI’s impact on the profession, how to use it strategically in your practice, and how to position yourself as indispensable to both clients and your firm.
At a Glance: 00:00 Introduction and why AI is changing the partnership track 01:20 How AI is replacing work once handled by junior associates and large diligence teams 02:45 The decline of the BigLaw pyramid in the age of AI and the new calculus for partnership success 03:12 Why firms prioritize high-value, complex matters that AI cannot commoditize 04:18 How associates can leverage their need to expand expertise in AI to seek early exposure to client calls, strategy meetings, and negotiations 04:44 Using AI tools on low-risk tasks and showing measurable client outcomes 05:10 Leading multidisciplinary teams that now include data scientists and technologists 06:30 Demonstrating client judgment in AI-assisted work by asking “Would I trust this outcome if I were the client?” 07:25 Joining firm AI committees and pilots to gain visibility and credibility 08:17 Shifts in client expectations: efficiency, cost transparency, and outcome-based fees 09:45 The lawyer’s edge: spotting risks that AI misses and proving strategic value 11:01 Rewriting your career narrative for the AI era: from hard worker to AI-enabled strategist 12:05 Freeing time for business development by leveraging AI efficiencies 12:50 Tracking and sharing metrics on time saved, cost savings, and improved margins 13:54 How AI enables more volume, fewer write-offs, and stronger profitability 14:42 Why AI should be seen as an accelerator, not a competitor 15:21 What firms will value most over the next decade: legal judgment, client impact, and tech fluency
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Interested in doing 1-2-1 coaching with Laura Terrell? Or learning more about her work coaching and consulting? Here are ways to reach out to her:
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Show notes: https://www.lauraterrell.com/podcast