AI Made Practical

At ILTA’s EVOLVE 2025 conference in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, the session “AI Made Practical: Enhancing Existing Tools and Driving Firm Adoption” provided actionable strategies for integrating generative artificial intelligence (AI) into legal practice. Moderated by Ari Kaplan, principal at Ari Kaplan Advisors, the panel featured Masako Hashimoto, senior legal project manager at Frost Brown Todd LLP; Victor Chavez, knowledge and innovation attorney at Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP; and Chris Fryer, chief information officer at Hanson Bridgett LLP. Their presentation, paired with audience input, offered a roadmap for law firms adopting AI.

Start with Problems, Not Solutions

The panel emphasized identifying specific challenges before selecting AI tools. Hashimoto started by explaining Frost Brown Todd’s motivation for immediate action, stating, “Gen AI is going to change the practice of law and if we don't figure this out, others will. We need to start right now, and there's not going to be a perfect solution so we need to just start learning.” She recommended focusing on time-consuming, non-legal tasks, such as administrative work, that burden attorneys. Audience members, through a show of hands, agreed that firms should first evaluate existing tools with generative AI capabilities before exploring new solutions.

Chavez noted an unexpected benefit: “The conversations around AI have broadened our attorneys' perspective on what technology can do.” Since generative AI has been so widely discussed and promoted internally and throughout the industry, attorneys have been bringing forward longstanding problems, some that have been solvable for a long time without AI, indicating growing technological curiosity.

Foster Adoption Through Change Management

The panel framed AI integration as a change management initiative, not just a technology project. Hashimoto shared that Frost Brown Todd allocated 30 billable hours over a 12-week pilot, enabling attorneys to attend training, workshops, and brainstorming sessions. She emphasized peer learning because attorneys learn best from each other, not formal training. Early adopters, identified as champions, drive adoption by sharing successes.

Fryer recommended involving users already familiar with AI tools—legal or public—in pilots. He also advised monitoring pilot usage and reallocating licenses from inactive users.

All members of the panel recommended regularly hosting showcases where attorneys share AI use cases to build enthusiasm and provoke others to think about how AI might help them. They also highlighted the value of a prompt library to simplify AI tool use and that sentiment was echoed through audience feedback.

Showcase Value, Manage Expectations

Positioning AI correctly is critical. Fryer cautioned against framing AI as an efficiency tool for billable tasks, stating that attorneys resist if you lead with efficiency. Focus on qualitative benefits like idea generation, client satisfaction, and staff retention. Efficiency gains should target non-billable tasks to avoid pushback.

Hashimoto stressed setting realistic expectations. Clear communication about AI’s capabilities prevents disillusionment. People can't go into it expecting it to be like a washing machine where they put their dirty clothes in, push a button, and everything comes out clean. The technology may be great but if they set expectations too high without a full understanding of what each tool does and does not do well, it may not get used.

Address Client Demands and Ethics

Kaplan highlighted that client attitudes can drive or hinder AI adoption. Some clients are pushing firms to utilize AI while others are prohibiting the use of AI on their matters. Those differing opinions can lead to confusion about when AI can actually be used which has led some firms to create an approval process for each and every use of generative AI for legal work. The panel also addressed “shadow AI,” where early adopters use unvetted tools. Hashimoto recommended policies requiring mandatory AI ethics training before accessing approved tools. Fryer suggested providing access to secure AI tools to reduce reliance on unsecured public platforms, noting that barriers lead to workarounds.

Invest Strategically, Demonstrate ROI

Selecting AI platforms involves two challenges: choosing tools to invest in and ensuring attorney adoption. Chavez advocated thoroughly understanding problems before selecting solutions. Fryer emphasized sharing success stories to demonstrate value. For return on investment (ROI), focus on qualitative outcomes—enhanced client service, innovation, and retention—over purely quantitative metrics.

Practical Takeaways for Legal Professionals

The session offered clear strategies for ILTA’s audience:

• Treat AI adoption as a change management effort, using peer learning and prompt libraries.
• Identify specific problems to be solved and highlight qualitative benefits (e.g., client satisfaction, idea generation, staff retention) as well as efficiency gains for nonbillable tasks initially for accelerated adoption.
• Evaluate existing tools and involve early adopters in pilots to champion AI.
• Monitor usage and provide secure tools to meet client and ethical standards.
• Share successes through regular showcases to sustain momentum.

As law firms navigate the rollout and adoption of generative AI solutions, the insights from Hashimoto, Chavez, and Fryer provided a practical guide to enhance tools and drive adoption, empowering attorneys and professional staff to deliver greater value to clients and strengthen their practices.