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A week or two ago, I had the privilege to address the audience at LegalEdCon.  This group of several hundred learning and development professionals are dedicated to nurturing and developing the next generation of lawyers.  I argued that the next generation of lawyer is not only the luckiest generation of lawyers ever, but also the most powerful.  Here’s my argument.  

It is (pretty much) undeniable.  The legal profession, that unchanging bastion of tradition and process, is changing.  The catalyst?  Generative artificial intelligence (AI). As we squint into the sunshine of this revolution (and yes, it is a revolution), it is clear that the next generation of lawyers are taking on a burden of responsibility sooner than expected. 

Lawyers need to become champions of change

Laws come and go, the power of the judiciary ebbs and wanes, law firms are born, merge and die.  Yet, eerily constant through this changing legal web, one element of the legal industry refuses to die.  For centuries, the billable hour has been the bedrock of legal practice.  Lawyers meticulously track their time and clients meticulously argue over that tracking.  The billable hour stands as the proud symbol of an unchanging legal industry. 

According to a recent ½Û×ÓÊÓƵ survey, 80% of firms still rely on the billable hour when charging clients. This is followed by fixed fee by matter (61%), fixed fee by phase (40%), and flat fees (38%).

It is (pretty much) undeniable.  The legal profession, that unchanging bastion of tradition and process, is changing.  The catalyst?  Generative artificial intelligence (AI). 

This is why the next generation of lawyers will be so powerful.  Traditional (legal) teaching primarily values knowledge and the application of that knowledge.  Whilst the application of knowledge is a highly desirable skill, and will remain so, the actual knowledge itself is becoming a commodity.  If you are in a client meeting and need to check the facts of a case – what do you do?  Run to the basement law library, rummage through shelves, leaf through pages of a book before running back to the meeting?  Of course not.  You power up ½Û×ÓÊÓƵ, bash in a search and lo – you are taken straight to the right part of the right document.  The answer is at your fingertips.  Today’s lawyers carry the entire world’s accumulated legal knowledge in their pockets.

As a result, the way firms charge for the time might have to eventually evolve away from the billable hour - or at least be reviewed regularly. 

The answer is at your fingertips.  Today’s lawyers carry the entire world’s accumulated legal knowledge in their pockets. 

Adaptable lawyers will dominate the market

So, if knowledge is no longer the superpower it once was, why is the next generation of lawyers going to be so powerful?

Simple.  The next generation of lawyer will be coming to the market with the most valuable of all skills - an adaptable mindset.  Curiosity, agility and continuous learning will be their tools. They understand that AI and technology is an ally.  They won’t fear technology and cling to tradition; they will embrace it and maximise its power.  They have been brought up in a totally tech-enabled world. 

Rather than fixating on the evolution of systems and processes, they will adapt to circumstances and comfortably use the best tools for the job.  Whilst it would be unfair to argue that none of today’s lawyers do this, those that do have learned the skill.  For the next generation, it will be an instinct that is hardcoded into their DNA.

Generative AI blurs hierarchies. Senior partners, once the founts of wisdom, already turn to junior associates for tech advice. Collaboration across generations becomes crucial.  It's a brave new world where knowledge flows both ways.  Afterall, many foundational practices and skills will still be relevant and useful.

Good riddance to grunt work

Generative AI handles the grunt work—sorting documents, due diligence and contract reviews. The next-gen lawyer will be liberated from mundane tasks, instinctively looking for ways to automate work.  Their cognitive bandwidth will be freed so they can dive into intricate legal puzzles, negotiate complex deals or craft innovative solutions for clients.

Enter Lexis+ AI—conversational search, drafting assistance, case law summaries—it's all there. But remember, AI augments human expertise; it doesn't replace it. The next-gen lawyer will be using these tools from day one of their training.  They will combine legal intuition with machine precision.

Law schools will adapt. Their curriculums will include AI training and literacy. Hands-on experience with AI tools will be essential. The next generation will graduate into the profession tech-ready yet poised for impact. They will be trained to respect the knowledge of the past and to be architects of the legal future.

They will be trained to respect the knowledge of the past and to be architects of the legal future.

Preparing the next generation for the challenge ahead

It would be silly to suggest that there won’t be challenges ahead.  And yes, we could be wiped off the planet by a masterful AI-overlord.  Or Elon Musk.  But, we could also embrace this revolution with energy and optimism.  Our ancestors created the steam engine and changed the industrial landscape forever.  They were agents of change.