Artificial intelligence in legal operations has moved quickly from hype to hands-on impact. In our most recent Legal Leaders Exchange podcast episode, our experts Jennifer McIver, Associate Director of Legal Operations and Industry Insights, and Vince Venturella, Associate Director of Technology Product Management, dove into one of today’s most important technology concepts: agentic AI. While the name may sound imposing, the idea is straightforward – and it could be a game-changer for legal operations professionals.
Most legal professionals are already familiar with AI that answers questions or generates text. Agentic AI goes a step further. Instead of stopping at providing information, these systems can act, moving across tools and systems, completing defined tasks, and checking in with a human when needed.
As the podcast explains, agents can answer questions by drawing on AI knowledge, research information across multiple sources, and act on behalf of a user by taking steps within workflows, such as submitting requests or drafting approvals.
The “human in the loop” remains vital. Agents can handle a high percentage of routine steps, but people stay involved to make decisions, manage exceptions, and ensure quality.
Shifting roles in legal operations
If agents can take on tasks, what happens to the professionals who used to do them? The podcast highlights an important shift: some legal ops roles may evolve into agent managers. Instead of executing every task, professionals will likely:
- Oversee agents and validate results
- Handle exceptions that require judgment
- Guide process design and workflow improvements
- Manage governance, security, and compliance
This doesn’t mean legal ops roles disappear. History has shown that when efficiency increases, businesses normally choose increased productivity over decreased staff. As a result, the value is likely to shift toward strategy, oversight, and higher-level work that technology can’t replace.
Use cases that are ripe for agents
Not every legal workflow is ready for agentic AI, but there are a number of strong candidates:
- Rate negotiations: Agents can coordinate requests from outside counsel, apply rules, route exceptions for approval, and summarize results for final review.
- Invoice review: Instead of manually combing through billing guidelines, an agent can flag potential issues, propose adjustments, and present a clear summary to a reviewer.
- Vendor management and contracts: High-volume, rules-based workflows with predictable steps are strong starting points.
The common thread is repetitive but structured tasks that consume time without requiring deep legal expertise.
Like any major shift, agentic AI adoption won’t happen overnight. Legal ops leaders should be aware of stakeholder concerns around trust and governance. In addition, robust programs of change management will be necessary, especially in environments where colleagues may resist or fear automation. In this circumstance, building AI fluency for affected staff members is key.
The message from the podcast is clear: the technology is advancing quickly, but successful adoption depends on people, process, and culture as much as on tools.
How to prepare now
Legal ops professionals don’t need to wait for a perfect solution to get started. Practical steps they can take in the near term include:
- Experiment with pilots: Try agent tools in a limited, low-risk setting to build familiarity and hone strategies.
- Build advocates: Identify team members willing to champion AI and share successes.
- Define oversight: Create metrics and review processes that keep humans in control and be sure they are in place before widespread agent rollout.
By taking small, deliberate steps, legal ops teams can build confidence while positioning themselves ahead of the curve.
Agentic AI won’t replace legal operations professionals – it will multiply their impact. By freeing teams from repetitive tasks, it opens space for strategy, innovation, and partnership with the business. The way forward is about building digital teammates that extend the capabilities of every professional in the legal department.
Listen to the episode for the full conversation: From bananas to breakthroughs: Empowering legal ops with agentic AI.
