Law Firm Transformers: AI as the Prime Mover in Real Legal Work
- cosmonauts
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
Updated: 21 hours ago
Transformation in Action
“You learn more from what’s done than what’s said.” What’s beginning to shift is where AI in the legal industry truly takes hold and where it starts to deliver lasting value.
AI in the legal world is no longer just about surface gains. The conversation is moving deeper, into how it operates within core workstreams rather than simply alongside them.
That is the focus of one of our upcoming panel sessions at Legal Innovators California during Private Practice Day, Transformation in Action. Together with law firms and legal tech partners, we’ll explore real implementations and share what was built, how it came to life, where approaches drove meaningful impact, and where the complexity proved greater than expected.
Before stepping into that conversation, it’s worth taking a closer look at how some of the most forward-leading firms are already embedding AI into practice.
Morgan Lewis: Where AI Moves Beyond Support to Execution
Morgan Lewis is a quiet but compelling example of transformation done right in today’s legal world.
Instead of treating GenAI as a supporting layer, the firm weaves it into core workflows, reshaping research, drafting, and knowledge management in a more fluid, effective way.
As Colleen Nihil shared, the approach is simple yet powerful: test, adopt, and refine continuously. That mindset turns experimentation into meaningful change. Through its work with Thomson Reuters, GenAI is now part of everyday legal tasks, helping lawyers move faster with greater precision.
At the same time, its collaboration with OutSystems enables rapid internal innovation. Using low-code, the firm builds and improves applications on the fly, streamlining processes while enhancing productivity.
As Josh Rosenzweig noted, the goal was to move quickly without compromising on security or scalability - and OutSystems made that possible.
What makes Morgan Lewis stand out is not just what they’ve implemented but how thoughtfully they’ve done it: blending trusted partners, internal capabilities, and a willingness to rethink workflows end-to-end.
Building on this approach, Marie Kerr, Director of Digital Intelligence Automation at Morgan, Lewis and Bockius LLP, will join our panel to share deeper insights into how the firm brings this philosophy to life and operationalizes AI beyond experimentation.
Ogletree Deakins: When Leadership Brings AI into Practice
Ogletree Deakins offers a compelling view of what it means to bring AI thoughtfully into the fabric of legal work.
Ogletree Deakins recently announced the appointment of Tim Fox as the firm’s first Chief Data and Artificial Intelligence Officer, underscoring a clear commitment to leveraging technology and innovation to deliver smarter, more efficient legal solutions for employers. His appointment signals a deliberate move to embed AI into core workflows, guided by leadership, shaped by governance, and grounded in accountability.
What makes this moment stand out isn’t simply the adoption of new technologies but the intentionality behind how they are being integrated into the delivery of legal services at the highest standard.
As he noted in the firm’s announcement:
This is what makes his voice so valuable to the legal innovators' audience, a perspective shaped not only by vision but also by the discipline required to turn that vision into practice.
Tim Fox will be joining our panel, offering a rare, firsthand look at how these initiatives are not just envisioned, but operationalized and scaled within a leading firm.
Loeb & Loeb: Turning AI Into Client-Facing Value
Loeb & Loeb demonstrates how AI is not only transforming internal workflows but also enabling new forms of client value. A notable example is the firm’s AI Legislation Tracker, which helps clients stay informed about and interpret the fast-changing global landscape of AI-related laws and regulations.
This initiative reflects a broader shift in legal services, where firms are building technology-enabled products that extend beyond traditional advisory work. By combining deep legal expertise with practical tools, Loeb & Loeb is positioning itself as a trusted partner for clients facing complex AI governance challenges.
Joining our panel, Heather Morrow will share practical insights drawn from her experience working on initiatives like these during her time at Loeb & Loeb. Her perspective aligns directly with our session, “Transformation in Action,” which highlights real-world examples of AI reshaping legal work streams and delivering meaningful impact.
O’Melveny: Where Legal AI Moves from Idea to Reality
Understanding legal AI isn’t just about tracking what’s being built. It’s about knowing where those ideas first take hold and who is close enough to see them before the rest of the market does. O’Melveny & Myers sits at that intersection.
That kind of trajectory is not incidental. It reflects where O’Melveny stands today: not on the sidelines of legal AI, but within the environments where new capabilities are first explored, pressure-tested, and brought into practice.
For this panel, that proximity is more than a detail, it shapes the conversation. It offers a perspective grounded in firsthand exposure to how advanced AI tools are conceived, refined, and translated into real-world legal workflows. We’re also pleased to welcome June Liebert, Director of Information Services, who will join the discussion and contribute her perspective.
In a landscape full of AI hype, this panel stands out for one reason: credibility.
These are real stories from firms like Morgan Lewis, Ogletree Deakins, Loeb & Loeb, and O’Melveny - firms that are not just talking about innovation, but actively delivering it.
Join Legal Innovators California 2026 if you want to understand what true transformation looks like and learn directly from the people making it happen.
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