Artificial intelligence has become a routine topic of discussion between law firms and their corporate clients, but the nature of those conversations has changed significantly over the past few years. Early discussions often centered on whether outside counsel should use AI at all. Today, clients have moved beyond that threshold question and instead want to understand how AI is being used, what safeguards govern its use, and how it can create greater value without compromising quality, confidentiality, or professional judgment.
To better understand this evolving landscape, The National Law Review spoke with leaders at Vinson & Elkins, Crowell & Moring, Cozen O'Connor, and Blank Rome. Several consistent themes emerged:
- Clients are asking more sophisticated and nuanced questions about firms’ use of AI.
- Clients expect both innovation and responsible AI governance.
- A law firm’s AI capabilities are now an important factor in clients’ selection and evaluation of outside counsel.
- AI is playing an increasingly important role in shaping and strengthening client relationships.
Clients Are Asking More Sophisticated Questions About AI
One of the clearest trends is that corporate clients have become far more sophisticated in their AI inquiries.
Rather than asking whether a firm uses artificial intelligence, clients want to understand how AI fits into legal workflows, which tools are being used, what tasks they support, how client information is protected, and what level of attorney oversight exists before work product reaches the client.
As Andrew Woolf, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer at Cozen O'Connor, explained: “Across the board, the questions are becoming more practical, detailed, and technical. The question has moved from ‘Are you using AI?’ to ‘How are you using it, and how are you controlling it?’” He explained that clients want detailed information regarding the AI models and platforms firms use, whether client data is retained or used for model training, what security controls are in place, and how attorneys supervise AI-assisted work.
Several interviewees also observed a notable shift in client attitudes toward AI itself. Aubrey Bishai, Chief Innovation Officer at Vinson & Elkins, explained that conversations have evolved from clients saying, “Don't use AI on my matters” to now saying, “Please use AI on my matters where it makes sense.” According to Bishai, today's discussions focus less on whether AI should be used and more on where it can appropriately support legal work, while fostering greater transparency and collaboration between law firms and in-house legal departments.
Alma Asay, Chief Innovation and Value Officer at Crowell & Moring, similarly noted that clients are increasingly addressing AI through outside counsel guidelines, requests for proposal (RFPs), and governance surveys. Rather than imposing blanket prohibitions, many clients now permit AI use within defined parameters while requesting consultation before AI is used in higher-risk situations. She also observed that clients frequently ask what peer organizations are doing, reflecting an industry-wide effort to benchmark AI governance practices.
Clients Expect Both Innovation and Responsible Governance
The industry leaders consistently emphasized that clients do not view innovation and risk management as competing priorities.
As Ashton Batchelor, Chief Innovation and Value Officer at Blank Rome, explained: “Innovation and AI governance aren't mutually exclusive; they reinforce each other.” Rather than trading confidentiality or quality for efficiency, clients increasingly expect firms to leverage AI responsibly while maintaining the same standards of legal excellence they have always demanded.
Bishai echoed that sentiment, explaining that clients are simultaneously focused on innovation, efficiency, confidentiality, security, and quality. She emphasized that enterprise-grade AI platforms, attorney training, and alignment among people, processes, and technology have become essential components of responsible AI adoption. Firms are also collaborating with clients by sharing lessons learned and helping develop best practices as both sides continue to integrate AI into legal work.
Attorney accountability emerged as another recurring theme. Asay noted that, regardless of technological advances, “Ultimately what they are paying for is our lawyers’ legal advice and judgment” and that clients continue to expect attorneys to understand both the benefits and limitations of AI, independently verify AI-generated work, and remain personally responsible for the final legal product.
Woolf similarly observed that firms best positioned to realize AI's efficiency gains are those that invest in robust governance. In his view, strong security, quality control, and risk management are not barriers to innovation; they are what enable responsible AI deployment at scale.
AI Governance Is Becoming Part of Outside Counsel Selection
Perhaps the strongest consensus among the industry leaders we spoke with concerned the growing role of AI governance in outside counsel selection.
As Asay put it, “It's not looking ahead, it's today.” She explained that clients are already incorporating AI considerations into panel counsel selection, RFPs, outside counsel guidelines, and governance reviews. RFPs now often require firms to explain how AI will be used on specific matters, while clients are seeking greater transparency regarding governance policies, attorney supervision, approved technologies, and documentation surrounding AI use.
The industry leaders we spoke with also identified several emerging governance trends, including formal written AI governance frameworks, explicit supervisory responsibilities for attorneys overseeing AI-assisted work, documentation regarding when and how AI is used, and growing interest in standardized governance models that can be applied consistently across outside counsel relationships.
Batchelor compared AI governance to the evolution of cybersecurity requirements, observing that “AI governance is becoming as ubiquitous as information security and pricing in outside counsel engagements.” While governance expectations continue to evolve, she expects greater convergence across the legal industry as clients and firms develop more consistent standards for responsible AI use.
AI Is Critical to Strengthening Client Relationships
Beyond technology itself, the discussions highlighted that AI conversations increasingly impact the broader attorney-client relationship.
Clients want transparency regarding where AI adds value, where it should not be used, and how attorneys exercise professional judgment throughout AI-assisted workflows. These discussions frequently involve sharing best practices, collaborating on AI-enabled legal processes, and identifying opportunities to improve service delivery while preserving trust.
As Bishai observed, “This is a relationship business at its core.” She explained that AI is most valuable when it allows attorneys to devote more time to applying their expertise and judgment in service of clients and collaborating with clients on how AI can enhance their business goals, rather than replacing those uniquely human qualities.
Woolf offered a similar perspective, noting that “clients will expect firms to adapt their operating models so they can safely and reliably deliver high-quality legal service using AI tools paired with human judgment. That means embracing change and rethinking how legal work gets done. That said, the end goal is the same as it has always been: clients expect excellent legal advice, sound judgment, responsiveness, and trust.”
Looking Ahead
Corporate clients are no longer asking whether law firms use AI; they expect that they do. The key differentiator is how firms govern, supervise, document, communicate, and innovate in that use.
Furthermore, rather than treating AI as a standalone technology initiative, clients now view responsible AI adoption as another indicator of how a law firm delivers high-quality legal services. Transparency, attorney accountability, secure technology, and thoughtful governance are becoming integral components of the attorney-client relationship. Firms that combine technological capability with strong governance, professional judgment, and innovation will be best positioned to meet clients' evolving expectations as AI continues to reshape legal practice.