Beyond Billable Podcast Steven ter Horst on Houthoff’s journey to Legal AI leadership
Oct 9, 2025
Steven ter Horst, a legal technologist at Houthoff, leads the firm’s AI strategy and adoption. He discusses how Houthoff became a pioneer in generative AI, emphasizing the importance of a disciplined rollout and a multi-tool strategy. Steven shares insights on managing AI licenses, the necessity of integrating various data layers, and the future impact of AI on legal pricing models. He also offers valuable advice for smaller firms looking to adopt AI safely and effectively, encouraging them to lead with confidence.
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Early Mover Decision
- Houthoff chose to be an early mover on generative AI and deliberately drove adoption across the firm.
- Steven describes starting cautious experiments in 2023 and fully committing in 2024 with pilot licenses and training.
Scale AI With Small Cohorts
- Roll out AI gradually with small cohorts, mandatory training, and close support during onboarding.
- Track usage, inspire new use cases, and expand licenses stepwise rather than a firm-wide big bang.
Use-It-Or-Lose-It Policy
- Implement a 'use it or lose it' policy with modest thresholds to encourage regular AI usage.
- Monitor activity and reallocate unused licenses after a fair grace period to boost adoption.
