Artificial intelligence is reshaping the legal industry, requiring organizations to adopt role-based training, establish secure frameworks, and rethink traditional business models. As moderator of a recent webinar discussion, I had a front-row view of expert insights on how legal teams can successfully navigate this transition.
AI is now a practical tool that the majority of legal practitioners rely on every day. According to the 2026 Future Ready Lawyer Survey Report, 92 percent of legal professionals now use AI daily. However, the report also notes that 39 percent identify inadequate training as a persistent barrier to success.
In hosting this webinar, I facilitated a thought-provoking discussion with leading voices in the legal and business community. The panel included Dean Sonderegger of Wolters Kluwer ELM Solutions, Giulietta Lemmi of Wolters Kluwer Legal and Regulatory Italy, Daniel Winkler of Westfield Insurance, and author and legal strategist Eve Vlemincx. Together, we examined how organizations can foster confidence in an AI-driven landscape, address the crucial need for practical and ethical training, and navigate the considerable shifts AI is driving across the business of law.
How can you build AI capability and confidence among legal professionals?
When legal professionals see how AI tools map directly to their daily workflows, they gain confidence and a sharper sense of their own technology skills.
Our panel was united in the belief that AI technology training for lawyers cannot rely on one-size-fits-all approaches. Instead, training should be role-based and target specific tasks attorneys are responsible for, such as document analysis or legal research. To truly empower practitioners, training must go beyond technical detail and help legal professionals sharpen their critical thinking and decision-making skills.
What are the ethical and security frameworks needed for legal AI?
To establish secure frameworks for legal AI, organizations must provide vetted tools, communicate acceptable use boundaries, and explain underlying privacy measures. Dean Sonderegger emphasized that clarity is fundamental.
Organizations must articulate what they aim to achieve and communicate firm boundaries for AI use. When they provide secure, approved tools, highlighting that trusted content reduces risk, staff can accomplish their goals with reliable, vetted technology. This helps avoid unapproved workarounds that create significant risks, including potential client data exposure and privilege concerns.
What is the impact of AI on legal services value and pricing?
AI changes the value of legal services by acting as an amplifier of processes rather than just a tool for raw speed. Eve Vlemincx introduced what she coined the “efficiency trap,” reminding us that clients ultimately seek the best outcomes, not just the fastest turnaround times.
While some might frame AI as simply a tool for acceleration of existing processes, this view understates its potential. AI can magnify the positive results of good processes and decisions, but it can just as quickly intensify mistakes or misjudgments. In practice, the greater danger for law firms is not slow progress but advancing quickly without strategic direction or well-defined goals.
I left this panel discussion thinking about how the future‑ready approach to training must start with identity. The kind of lawyer, firm, or in‑house team you want to be should guide whether training focuses on mastering specific AI tools or on strengthening human judgment, such as how to question outputs, apply context, and make strategic decisions. When value is clear, the right training path follows.
The importance of continuous learning for AI in law
Traditional, static training programs cannot keep pace with rapid technological advancements and the collaborative nature of modern legal workflows, making continuous learning essential for AI in law. The approach to training and professional development must evolve alongside the shifting legal landscape.
More than ever, the responsibility for successful training is becoming a shared, ecosystem-wide commitment. This shift from individual learning to collaborative training environments is critical. Organizations must let go of static training programs in favor of continuous improvement loops that adapt to evolving challenges.
Building lasting confidence in AI starts with targeted training, setting clear ethical boundaries, and prioritizing substantive outcomes over speed. As AI continues to advance and expand its capabilities, the legal professionals who will lead the way are those who harness this technology to sharpen their strategic impact and continually raise the bar for excellence in legal practice.
For a deeper dive into AI’s impact on legal departments, law firms, and legal operations, download the 2026 Future Ready Lawyer Survey Report and register for the accompanying webinar series.