Key Themes in AI Transformation for Legal Departments

Coheso’s co-founder and CEO Ned Gannon attended the Economist's General Counsel Summit this week, where leading legal minds gathered to discuss the evolving legal landscape. Several important themes around AI adoption continue to resonate across the legal industry.

While the specific discussions from the Summit remain under Chatham House rules, the broader industry trends around artificial intelligence and legal technology adoption align with four key themes we see legal leaders navigate daily.

AI Adoption Across the Organization

Legal interest in using artificial intelligence (AI) to help accelerate work product is ahead of actual implementation. Selecting the right AI technology is just one piece of the implementation puzzle. Legal teams should look to create an environment where legal professionals feel empowered to embrace these tools. This means tools should be vetted for ease of use and adoption in addition to AI functionality. 

Industry observations suggest that the legal departments that successfully adopt AI prioritize user experience and practical value delivery. Rather than implementing AI as a top-down mandate, many organizations are focusing on demonstrating immediate, tangible benefits that resonate with their teams' daily workflows.

Key factors driving successful legal user adoption include:

• Clear communication about AI's role as an augmentation tool, not a replacement

• Starting with low-risk, high-value use cases that build confidence

• Providing comprehensive training that goes beyond technical functionality to include strategic application

• Creating feedback loops that allow users to shape the technology implementation

At Coheso, where we act as a bridge between business and legal to facilitate the delivery of in-house legal services, we've observed that business user adoption is just as critical as legal user adoption.

Key factors driving successful business user adoption include:

• Intuitive user interfaces that require minimal training 

• Little to no change management with seamless integrations with existing business systems

• Clear value propositions that demonstrate how AI tools solve specific business pain points and save time

• Quick wins and visible results that build confidence and momentum across the organization

Change Management Considerations

Industry trends consistently show that technical implementation is often the easier part of AI adoption. The real challenge lies in managing the human aspects of transformation.

Many legal departments are treating AI implementation as an organizational change initiative rather than merely a technology application. This means investing in change management frameworks that address concerns, build buy-in, and create sustainable adoption patterns.

Effective change management strategies include:

• Establishing AI champions across the organization

• Creating transparent communication about the rationale for adopting a solution and expected outcomes

• Rolling out MVP implementations of solutions that allow for learning and adjustment

• Addressing concerns about job security and role evolution proactively

• Celebrating early wins and sharing success stories across the organization

On the business side, we often find that minimizing change management leads to greater buy-in. If a legal solution requires business input, it is best deployed through existing channels and workflows. 

Successfully Implementing AI Solutions

Over the past year, we've witnessed growing adoption of AI across the legal sector and substantial investments in legal AI startups, yet many organizations still struggle with execution.

Successful implementations share several common characteristics:

• Clear use case where AI can provide immediate value

• Governance frameworks for AI usage

• Integrations with existing legal technology stacks and communication tools

• Analytics to measure success and identify opportunities for iteration

Building Trust Through AI Accuracy

AI accuracy remains a frequently discussed topic across the legal industry, with the imperative for legal departments to maintain the highest standards of precision and reliability. While AI tools are becoming increasingly sophisticated, the legal profession's duty of accuracy demands rigorous validation and oversight processes. Leading legal departments are relying on validation processes and audit trails to review AI-generated content. 

Strategies for ensuring AI accuracy include:

• Embedded audit trails for AI-generated work product

• Easy approval workflows that validate legal work before it is delivered to the business

• Clear guidelines for when and how AI tools should be used in different contexts

• Human oversight for all client-facing and high-stakes applications

The Future of AI in Legal Departments

There is strong momentum for continued AI adoption in legal departments. We're still in the early stages of this transformation, with significant opportunities for organizations that approach AI adoption strategically and thoughtfully.

The most successful legal departments will likely be those that view AI not as a one-time implementation project, but as an ongoing capability that requires continuous investment, learning, and refinement. This means building internal AI literacy, staying current with technological developments, and maintaining a culture of experimentation and continuous improvement.

As the legal profession continues to evolve, the themes around AI adoption provide a valuable framework for navigating the complexities ahead. The organizations that succeed will be those that balance technological innovation with the practicalities of implementing solutions that support existing workflows.