Tom Borman, LawFuel contributing editor
The days of “AI curiosity” in law firms are over. According to Bloomberg Law, general counsel are now pressuring outside counsel to prove they’re using generative AI to cut costs and improve turnaround — or risk losing the mandate altogether.
Corporate legal departments are no longer satisfied with glossy innovation decks. They want line items. If AI isn’t delivering fewer billable hours or faster workflows, they will shop around. The message: firms that fail to adapt will be priced out of major mandates.
Instructions to Law Firms From General Counsel
General counsel are telling firms to adopt generative AI like Harvey or risk losing work. Clients want savings, not excuses, and Harvey just upped the game.
Meanwhile, Harvey AI is racing to make adoption unavoidable. The platform has rolled out voice commands and mobile integration, pushing legal AI beyond desktop pilots into everyday use. That shift makes it harder for firms to claim AI is a side experiment rather than a billing-line reality.
The risk is obvious. BigLaw associates billing 2,400 hours a year now face the prospect of a microphone doing half their grunt work. The opportunity is equally clear: firms that integrate AI transparently with clients stand to win mandates on efficiency and cost credibility.
For managing partners still dithering about “AI readiness,” the decision is being made for them — by clients with procurement checklists.
